Patient Satisfaction in Functional Rhinoseptoplasty: The Role of Non-Surgical Factors

Introduction: Functional Rhinoseptoplasty (FRS) is a surgical procedure with both functional and aesthetic impacts, affecting patients' quality of life. The influence of non-surgical factors on FRS outcomes remains a debated topic in the literature. The Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) questionnaire is a useful tool for assessing patients’ satisfaction once submitted to this surgery. Objectives: To evaluate the subjective impact of non-surgical factors on the long-term outcomes of FRS. Materials and Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective study of all patients who underwent FRS at a tertiary hospital between 2019 and 2023. Patients with less than one year of postoperative follow-up were excluded. The ROE questionnaire was used to quantify subjective surgical satisfaction. Various variables were analyzed, including previous nasal pyramid trauma, age, known hematologic pathology, psychiatric history, allergic rhinitis, smoking habits and inferior turbinectomy. Statistical calculations were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis formula. Results: The sample included 75 patients with an average age of 33.4 years, mostly female (51%; n=38). Average ROE score in the sample was 79.6%. 38.7% (n=29) of the procedures were performed after nasal pyramid trauma, with these patients reporting higher ROE scores than others (85.78% in the trauma group; 75.6% in the non-trauma group; p-value .01394). Even though no statistical correlation was demonstrated, ROE scores where also higher in patients with allergic rhinitis (82,1% vs 78,1% on the healthy group), psychiatric disorders (85,8% vs 75,6% on the healthy group), hematological disorders (91,7% vs 78,9% on the healthy group), non smokers (81,7% vs 74,0% on smokers), younger patients (81,7% vs 76,8% on patients older than 33,4 years) and patients that underwent inferior turbinectomy (81,0% vs 75,9%). Conclusions: This study established a correlation between the subjective degree of surgical satisfaction and previous nasal trauma in patients undergoing FRS.

Publication History

Received: 01 November 2024

Accepted: 13 April 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
14 April 2025