Nasal airway function after Le Fort I osteotomy with maxillary impaction: A prospective study using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation scale

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated changes in nasal airway function following Le Fort I osteotomy with maxillary impaction according to the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale. METHODS: This cohort study included 13 patients who underwent Le Fort I osteotomy with maxillary impaction. Nasal airway function was evaluated based on the NOSE scale preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. The change in the NOSE score was calculated as the preoperative score minus the postoperative score. If the normality assumptions for changes in the NOSE score were not met, a nonparametric test (the Wilcoxon signed-rank test) was used. Differences in NOSE score changes according to patient characteristics and surgical factors were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: Patients ranged in age from 18 to 29 years (mean±standard deviation [SD], 23.00±3.87 years). Three were men and 10 were women. Eleven patients (84%) had an acquired dentofacial deformity with skeletal class III malocclusion. The preoperative NOSE scores ranged from 40 to 90 (mean±SD, 68.92±16.68), and the postoperative NOSE scores ranged from 25 to 80 (53.84±18.83). The cohort as a whole showed significant improvement in nasal airway function following maxillary impaction (P=0.028). Eleven patients (84%) had either improved (n=8) or unchanged (n=3) postoperative NOSE scores. However, nasal airway function deteriorated in two patients. Patient characteristics and surgical factors were not correlated with preoperative or postoperative NOSE scores. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal airway function as evaluated using the NOSE scale improved after maxillary impaction.