Surgery of the Nasal Valve.Aesthetic and functional surgery of the anterior part of the nasal septum

Hippokratia 2002, 6(3):99-104

I konstantinidis, St. Triaridis, Ath. Triaridis, N. Benis, D. Tsitlakidis, K. Karagiannidis


Abstract

Nasal valve is a very important structure of the nose from the functional point of view. Deviation of nasal septum at the level of the vestibule as well as nasal valve dysfunction are common causes of nasal obstruction symptoms and frequent causes of nasal tip and columella deformities. During a 7-year period, 1258 patients underwent septal surgery at the ENT Department of Hippokratio General Hospital. One in five of those patients had suffered preoperatively from nasal obstruction symptoms caused by deviation of the caudal (anterior) part of nasal septum. In 60% of patients with nasal valve problems, obstruction was unilateral while history of previous trauma or surgical intervention was recorded in almost half the cases. All patients underwent surgical correction of the anterior part of the nasal septum with a variety of surgical techniques, according to the underlying pathology. This study presents our techniques, complications, aesthetic and functional results of each technique. Surgeons must always keep in mind the significance of the caudal end of the septum and the valve area for the normal airflow in the nasal cavity.