Evaluation of benefits of nasal septal surgery on nasal symptoms and general health

The purpose of the study was to analyze the patient's satisfaction following nasal septal surgery based on their subjective opinion and to study whether the SNOT-22 can be used as a reliable outcome measure for successful septal surgery. Between Oct 2005-July 2007, sixty consecutive adult patients who underwent nasal septal surgery and met the study criterion were enrolled. The patients were asked to fill in the SNOT-22 questionnaire both prior to and at regular follow up periods after the surgery. The mean total preoperative SNOT score (of all 22 items) was 20.67 and the mean total postoperative SNOT-22 score was 10.48 (t = 8.8135, p < 0.001 highly significant). On further analysis, improvement was seen in subcategories of Nasal Symptoms (t = 8.0825, p < 0.001 highly significant), Non Nasal Symptoms (t = 3.0913, p < 0.0025 significant), General health symptoms (t = 4.8602, p < 0.001 highly significant) and Nasal Obstruction (t = 7.7652, p < 0.001 highly significant). The SNOT-22 score is a useful and reliable tool in nasal septal surgery in that it combines both nasal specific and quality of life related questions, which can be assessed individually and together both pre and post operatively.