Assessment of surgical results in patients with empty nose syndrome using the 25-item sino-nasal outcome test evaluation

摘要

IMPORTANCE: Empty nose syndrome (ENS) is an iatrogenic disorder, which severely affects the normal nasal breathing function. People affected by ENS may experience decreased productivity and lifestyle disruption. The 20-Item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) is a validated quality-of-life measurement and can be used to compare before and after intervention outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Medpor implant (Porex Surgical Inc) to improve the disease-specific quality of life in patients with ENS and to validate the 25-Item SNOT (SNOT-25) as an assessment tool in patients with ENS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We prospectively enrolled 24 patients from our hospital who received inferior turbinate reconstruction surgery after drug therapy failed to improve their symptoms. INTERVENTIONS: All the patients underwent submucosal Medpor implant surgery to reconstruct their inferior turbinate. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Patient assessments were based on the SNOT-25 questionnaire prior to surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: The total scores of the SNOT-25 declined postoperatively, showing a significant difference at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery compared with their initial visit (P = .045, P < .001, and P < .001, respectively). The 5 items most frequently reported by patients as important at their initial visit were "fatigue," "reduced concentration," "sadness," "dryness," and "nose is too open." The mean overall scores for these 5 important items also declined, showing statistically significant decreases compared with their initial visit (P < .05) and indicating that the items patients believed were important had improved. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Medpor implant surgery in patients with ENS is associated with statistically significant improvements in disease-specific quality of life measures. The modified version of SNOT-20 Health Survey Scales, the SNOT-25, may be a useful measurement tool in patients with ENS.