RELIABILITY OF SINO-NASAL OUTCOME TEST IN MEASURING THE OUTCOME OF SEPTOPLASTY

Abstract

Objective:

To assess the subjective benefits to the patients undergoing septoplasty using Sino-Nasal outcome test (SNOT–10) scoring system.

Materials and methods:

It is a prospective, longitudinal and comparative study done at Department of Otorhinolaryngology and head & neck surgery, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.  Ninety patients who underwent septoplasty between November 2007 to March 2009 were kept in study group, and 45 patients without any intervention were the control. Sino-nasal outcome test (SNOT-10), was measured and graded from 0 to 3, depending upon the severity, ‘Z’ test for mean was used as a statistical tool.

Results:

Total 135 (90 cases and 45 control) patients with deviated nasal septum were included. The total mean SNOT score improvement was from 7.73 (S.D.-3.2) to 2.23 (S.D.-1.69) i.e. 71.13% one month after surgeries. The mean SNOT score improvement was from 6.57 (S.D.-2.36) to 5.88 (S.D.-2.6) i.e. 10.48% after one month in the control groups. There was a statistically significant improvement (p< 0.001) in post operative SNOT-10 score in patients who underwent septoplasty. However, improvement in control group was not found to be statistically significant (p> 0.05) using the same score. Comparison of post-operative SNOT scores between cases and controls was statistically significant. Comparison of difference of SNOT score pre and post operatively between cases and controls using ‘Z’ test for mean (P<0.001) was also statistically significant.

Conclusion:

SNOT- 10 scoring system is a reliable subjective evaluating tool to observe the outcome of septoplasty and there was a significant symptomatic improvement seen after septoplasty in symptomatic DNS patients.

Keywords: DNS, objective tests, septoplasty, SNOT