Time course in the relief of nasal blockage after septal and turbinate surgery: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the time course of the change in efficacy of septal and turbinate surgery in relieving nasal obstruction.

DESIGN: Interventional study, before-after trial.

SETTING: Referral center, institutional practice, hospitalized care.

PATIENTS: Thirty-four consecutive patients undergoing septal and turbinate surgery were recruited. Seven patients were unwilling to complete the follow-up after surgery. No patient withdrawal was because of adverse effects. Twenty-five normal subjects with no nasal obstruction were included as control subjects.

INTERVENTION: Functional nasal septal and turbinate surgery was performed to relieve nasal obstruction.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Patient assessment of severity of nasal blockage on a 0-mm (no blockage) to 100-mm (maximum blockage) visual analog scale before surgery and at fixed intervals after surgery.

RESULTS: The mean nasal blockage scores significantly decreased from the preoperative values at all intervals of follow-up. For the whole group, the nasal blockage score was on average 52% of the preoperative value at the last follow-up. The probability of having at least a 50% reduction in blockage decreased from 73%, to 60%, to 41%, and then to 27% at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2(1/2) years, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in nasal blockage was found in patients after functional septal and turbinate surgery. However, the probability of substantial relief gradually decreased with time. Patients should be followed up after septal and turbinate surgery for possible recurring symptoms.