Assessment of Surgical Results in Patients With Empty Nose Syndrome Using the 25-Item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test Evaluation

IMPORTANCE Empty nose syndrome (ENS) is an iatrogenic disorder, which severely affects the normal nasal breathing function. People affected by ENS may experience decreased productivity and lifestyle disruption. The 20-Item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) is a validated quality-of-life measurement and can be used to compare before and after intervention outcomes. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of the Medpor implant (Porex Surgical Inc) to improve the disease-specific quality of life in patients with ENS and to validate the 25-Item SNOT (SNOT-25) as an assessment tool in patients with ENS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We prospectively enrolled 24 patients from our hospital who received inferior turbinate reconstruction surgery after drug therapy failed to improve their symptoms. INTERVENTIONS All the patients underwent submucosal Medpor implant surgery to reconstruct their inferior turbinate. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Patient assessments were based on the SNOT-25 questionnaire prior to surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS The total scores of the SNOT-25 declined postoperatively, showing a significant difference at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery compared with their initial visit (P = .045, P < .001, and P < .001, respectively). The 5 items most frequently reported by patients as important at their initial visit were fatigue, reduced concentration, sadness, dryness, and nose is too open. The mean overall scores for these 5 important items also declined, showing statistically significant decreases compared with their initial visit (P < .05) and indicating that the items patients believed were important had improved. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Medpor implant surgery in patients with ENS is associated with statistically significant improvements in disease-specific quality of life measures. The modified version of SNOT-20 Health Survey Scales, the SNOT-25, may be a useful measurement tool in patients with ENS.