Association of inferior turbinate enlargement, concha bullosa and nasal valve collapse with the convexity of septal deviation

Abstract

CONCLUSION: Inferior turbinate enlargement (ITE), nasal valve collapse (NVC) and concha bullosa (CB) are nasal anatomic problems that may accompany septal deviation (SD). Establishment of a causal relationship between these variations and SD is doubtful. In patients complaining of nasal obstruction, all nasal structures that may contribute to the symptom must be separately and carefully assessed for setting an appropriate treatment plan and thereby minimizing the failure rate of surgery. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if the convexity of SD is associated with the occurences of ITE, CB and NVC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was performed on 109 patients who had been operated due to anterior C-shaped SDs. ITE, CB and NVC were encountered in 65 (59.6%), 27 (24.8%) and 55 (50.5%) patients, respectively. Patients with other forms of SD, allergic rhinitis, non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia, acute and chronic sinusitis, nasal polyposis, antrochoanal polyps, those who had recently used systemic or topical decongestants and patients with a history of previous nasal surgery were excluded from the study group. Assessment of the patients was based on data derived from the history, physical examination findings and paranasal sinus CT imaging records. RESULTS: No significant correlation was found between the convexity of the SD and occurrence of ITE, CB and NVC (p = 0.098, 0.717 and 0.171, respectively).