Quality of Life Comparison in Common Rhinologic Surgeries

Abstract

Various questionnaires are used in patients who undergo rhinologic surgeries but a unique comprehensive questionnaire is needed to evaluate quality of life (QOL) in rhinologic surgeries. The purpose of this study was to prepare a comprehensive questionnaire and compare QOL among four common rhinologic surgeries including functional endoscopic sinus surgery, septoplasty, septorhinoplasty, and septoplasty with turbinoplasty preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. This was a prospective interventional before-and-after study. Preoperative and 6 months postoperative evaluations were performed with a Modified Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) questionnaire designed to cover all needed QOL aspects and the 22-item Sino-nasal Outcome Test questionnaire to cover all needed QOL aspects. The Modified HRQL included 33 items in six subgroups (nasal symptoms, sleep problems, headache, nonnasal symptoms, and practical and emotional problems) and general feeling. From 202 patients who completed the questionnaire before the procedures, 146 (72% of all patients) who were interviewed 6 months postoperatively were included in this study. Comparing preoperative data between followed up patients and missed patients showed no statistical difference among surgeries (p = 0.90). Comparison of patient's pre- and postoperative QOL showed a significant improvement in global QOL and in all questionnaire items (p < 0.0001 in all comparisons). Comparison of QOL changes before and after surgery among different surgeries revealed no statistical difference (p = 0.282). Our data showed a significant improvement in each surgery but the amount of improvement in different surgeries was almost constant.

Different rhinologic diseases cause a similar multidimensional decrease in generic health‐related quality of life

“…According to their results, sinus patients had a significantly lower HRQoL measured using the generic SF‐36 instrument, compared to septum patients irrespective of age and sex . In another study, a comparison of the preoperative HRQoL amongst four rhinologic surgical groups also showed differences between these groups . By contrast, a recent Finnish study investigating septoplasty and FESS patients preoperatively reported results comparable to our study.…”

“…To our knowledge, no similar comparison and investigation of unselected rhinologic patients appears in the literature. Furthermore, the total number of patients in our study was higher than in most previously published HRQoL studies . In addition, the advantage of the 15D instrument used in this study is that it has also been used to study patients with several other health conditions from the same metropolitan area .…”

“…Croy et al and Alakärppä et al studied the pre‐ and postoperative HRQoL of septoplasty and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) patients. Moreover, Naraghi et al compared pre‐ and 6‐month postoperative HRQoL of septoplasty, FESS, septorhinoplasty, and septoplasty combined with turbinoplasty patients.…”

The effects of septoplasty on disease-specific and general quality of life: A retrospective longitudinal trial

“…In their recent prospective observational study, Kahveci et al [11] reported that septoplasty without turbinate reduction yields a marked improvement in the NOSE scores of patients at six months after the operation and concluded that the NOSE scale is a very useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of pure septoplasty. Similarly, Naraghi et al [15] found in their prospective interventional study that septoplasty has a profound effect on the general QoL of patients six months after the operation. They used a modified health-related QoL instrument and concluded that the correction of septal deviation not only alleviates the obstructive nasal symptoms but also improves general QoL.…”

Rhinosinusitis in Children

“…This could also be used for nasal irrigation post surgery [126]. Naraghi et al found that the quality of life was improved significantly in patients after FESS [128]. FESS should be done with great care especially in those with AFS because in them bone dissolution is common and there is a potential risk of inadvertent penetration into orbit or cranium [129].…”