Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effect of septal deviation causing nasal obstruction and septal surgery on middle ear ventilation.
Patients and methods: Twenty-five patients over 18 years of age (6 females, 19 males; mean age 24.7±6.1 years; range 18 to 38 years) who underwent septoplasty due to septal deviation with a normal baseline ear function were included in the study. Nasal obstruction was evaluated preoperatively and at three months postoperatively using visual analog scale and nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale. Tympanometric tests were performed preoperatively and on seventh day, in the first month and third month postoperatively.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the mean NOSE score (p=0.00). The mean preoperative NOSE score was 55.5±16.4, while the mean postoperative (at 3 months) NOSE score was 19.0±7.7. The difference in preoperative and postoperative (at 3 months) NOSE scores was statistically significant (p=0.00). In the comparison of the preoperative and postoperative tympanometry results, no statistically significant difference was observed in middle ear pressures (p=0.375). There was no statistically significant relationship between postoperative NOSE scores and middle ear pressures (r=-0.10; p=0.943).
Conclusion: Our study results showed that the success of septoplasty operation and operation success does not affect the ventilation and pressure of the middle ear significantly.