Objective Outcome Measures in Nasal Valve Repair and Nasal Obstruction

The diagnosis of NVC is clinical. However, objective evaluation of the nasal airway may corroborate this diagnosis and quantify the extent of its impairment on nasal airflow. Anatomic methods measure the dimensions of the nasal valve while physiologic methods quantify the impairment on nasal airflow and on nasal airway resistance produced by NVC. Furthermore, CFD analysis may demonstrate changes of the normal nasal airway conditions and localize these changes to the nasal valve. Objective data can be useful to quantify the impairment caused by NVC and to assist on the clinical decision of choosing the most adequate surgical technique in each clinical case of NVC. Surgery is the treatment of choice for NVC. Results of surgery may be assessed by objective evaluation of the nasal airway. Anatomic methods may be used to quantify modifications of the dimensions of the nasal valve after surgery. These methods are most suitable to evaluate surgery targeted to an enlargement of the nasal valve, particularly at the INV. Physiologic methods may be used to quantify changes in nasal airflow and in nasal airway resistance achieved by any surgical technique addressing NVC. Objective evaluation in combination with patient-reported evaluation of nasal breathing can enlighten the scenario of clinical unsuccess of surgical treatment of NVC. The demonstration of improvement of the various parameters of the nasal airway by objective methods of evaluation stands for the recognition of the efficacy of surgery for treating NVC and corroborates that surgery should be considered in patients with NVC.