Abstract
OBJECTIVE
1)To learn how nasal batten grafts impact patients perception of nasal airway patency. 2)To determine the extent patients believe their appearance was altered by batten grafts.
METHOD
A prospective survey study of twenty patients in a tertiary veterans hospital who suffered with nasal airway obstruction (NAO) due to nasal valve collapse was completed after IRB approval. Patients had placement of bilateral polyethylene batten grafts during a 15-month study period. The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE)validated survey was used to measure a patients subjective post-operative change in nasal airway obstruction. In addition, the patients were also asked to rate the extent their appearance had changed.
RESULTS
All twenty patients presented with complaints of NAO due to nasal valve collapse either in isolation or in combination with another anatomical source of obstruction. The nasal valve collapse was identified by clinical examination. All patients had preoperative photographs. Most patients had a trial with an intranasal stent prior to opting for surgical implantation of the batten grafts. The results of the NOSE survey demonstrate significant improvement in nasal obstruction. Patients also reported only a minimal change in appearance. There were no extrusions, implant exposures or implant removals in any of the patients.
CONCLUSION
Nasal airway obstruction due to nasal valve collapse can be effectively treated with polyethylene batten grafts. The implants are well tolerated and patients report a significant improvement in NAO. There is little risk of implant extrusion, exposure or intolerance. In addition, patients did not note a significant change to their appearance.