The effect of septal deviation on postoperative quality of life in patients undergoing radiofrequency‐assisted turbinate reduction

OBJECTIVES: Inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH) and nasal septum deviation are leading causes of chronic nasal obstruction. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hypertrophic inferior turbinates is effective for improving quality of life (QOL). We aim to assess QOL among patients with nasal obstruction associated with ITH and major deviated nasal septum. METHODS: A prospective cohort study comparing the difference in improved QOL among patients with and without septal deviation following RFA treatment between March 2016 and June 2019. The patients formed two groups according to their grade of septal deviation. Patients participating filled in QOL questionnaires (Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test‐22 [SNOT‐22] and Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation [NOSE]) Pre‐ and 2 months postprocedure. RESULTS: All patients demonstrated QOL improvement with no significant difference between those with and those without any degree of deviated septum, as demonstrated by their responses to the SNOT‐22 questionnaire (p = .29), the NOSE questionnaire (p = .93), and the degree of nasal obstruction (question 22 in the SNOT‐22 questionnaire) (p = .14). CONCLUSION: We conclude that septal deviation to certain degree does not preclude treatment of ITH with RFA nor does it negatively affect subjective improvement of the patient's QOL. Both those with and those without septal deviation will benefit similarly with regards to subjective QOL improvement.