[Clinical use of nasal airflow measurement in septoplasty].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical use of nasal airflow measurement in septoplasty. METHOD: After nasal decongestion, 21 patients's nasal airway resistance and nasal airflow were evaluated by anterior rhinomanometry before and after submucous resection of nasal septum. RESULT: The amount of nasal airflow asymmetry could show nasal respiratory function better than nasal airway resistance does, the patients with absolute amount of nasal airflow asymmetry greater than 50% had bad postoperative outcome, patients' satisfication with operation was significantly correlated with the presence of post-operative symmetrical nasal airflow. CONCLUSION: The amount of nasal airflow asymmetry can serve as an indicator of patient selection, outcome evaluation and prognosis in nasal septum deviation.