The main goal of this study was to determine the influence of sinus surgery on the heating of inspired air in the nose. Intranasal temperature values of 22 patients with chronic sinus disease were measured after inspiration at different locations in the nasal cavity. Measurements were done before and 6-8 weeks after sinus surgery. The patients were compared to 22 healthy control subjects. Nasal airway temperature did not differ between the two study groups at any location in the nasal cavity. Nasal decongestion was without significant influence on temperature values in the patients and the volunteers. There was no significant difference of nasal airway temperature before and after sinus surgery. Even after sinus surgery the main area of heating of inspired air seemed to be the anterior part of the nose. Sinus surgery in patients with chronic sinus disease does not seem to influence heating of air in the nasal cavity.

Based on this relatively small series, functional-esthetic septorhinoplasty in combination with inferior turbinoplasty may be associated with improved nasal conditioning.

Composite ear grafts may provide good functional and aesthetic results when combined with overlying skin flaps in reconstruction of partial nasal defects. Even though composite ear grafts used for restoration of the inner nasal lining may be deformed or absorbed and impairment of nasal airway patency or aesthetic result may be postoperatively observed, the combination of composite ear grafts with locoregional transposition flaps provides additional reconstructive options for selected nasal defects.

No abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of digital image analysis of video-endoscopic images of the valve area to study changes in cross-sections of the nasal valve area before and after nasal surgery. Fifty patients scheduled for septoplasty or septorhinoplasty were included. Successful recordings of the valve area and digitally calculated cross-sections of the nasal valve area served as main outcome measures. First, various endoscopes (rigid 0 degrees - and 25 degrees -endoscopes and fibreoptic 0 degrees -endoscope) were tested and video-endoscopy was standardised in 39 patients. Second, preoperative and postoperative images of the nasal valve area in 11 patients with obstruction of the nasal valve area were digitally analysed and compared. In these patients, a significant widening of the valve area could be shown postoperatively. We conclude that digital image analysis of the nasal valve area can be helpful in the measurement of cross-sections of the nasal valve area before and after nasal surgical procedures in selected patients.