[Bilateral effects of the pre- and postoperative septoplasty evaluated objectively with acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of septoplasty on bilateral nasal cavities with acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry objectively. METHOD: Twenty-two patients who underwent septoplasty were examined with rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry before and 6 to 12 months after surgery. Of the 22 patients, 1 patient whose rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry datum were not available for the bilateral nasal obstruction, 3 patients with bilateral turbinectomy and 2 patients with unilateral turbinectomy wide nasal cavities were excluded. Finally, 18 narrow side nasal cavities and 16 wide side nasal cavities were analyzed. RESULT: Rhinomanometry: nasal resistance on the deviation side decreased significantly (P < 0.05), whereas on the contralateral side decreased slightly (P > 0.05). Acoustic Rhinometry: the predecongestion nasal minimal cross-sectional area (NMCA) and 0-5 cm NCV on the deviation side increased significantly due to the operation (P < 0.01). The corresponding postdecongestion increased were the same. Whereas on the contralateral side NMCA decreased and 0-5 cm NCV increased slightly before decongestion and after decongestion (P > 0.05). Only slight median increases were noted in the bilateral assessment postoperatively in NCV (P > 0.05) before and (P < 0.05) after decongestion. CONCLUSION: The nasal patency on the deviation side is undoubtedly increased after septoplasty, and the airway on the wide side is not worsened after the operation.