Can the Sino‐nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) be used as a reliable outcome measure for successful septal surgery?

Can the Sino‐nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) be used as a reliable outcome measure for successful septal surgery? Septoplasty and submucous resection are common procedures in the UK. This study looks prospectively at 40 patients undergoing surgery at two hospitals. A pre‐ and postoperative assessment (3 months) was made using the Sino‐nasal Outcome Test. This test was originally designed for rhinosinusitis but our study suggests that it is a useful tool in nasal septal surgery, in that it combines both nasal specific and general health questions, which can be analysed individually or together. Improvements in nasal obstruction (75%), facial pain (33%) and catarrh (10%) were noted.     

Reliability assessment and correlation analysis of evaluating orthodontic treatment outcome in Chinese patients

This study aimed to assess the reliability of experienced Chinese orthodontists in evaluating treatment outcome and to determine the correlations between three diagnostic information sources. Sixty-nine experienced Chinese orthodontic specialists each evaluated the outcome of orthodontic treatment of 108 Chinese patients. Three different information sources： study casts （SC）, lateral cephalometric X-ray images （LX） and facial photographs （PH） were generated at the end of treatment for 108 patients selected randomly from six orthodontic treatment centers throughout China. Six different assessments of treatment outcome were made by each orthodontist using data from the three information sources separately and in combination. Each assessment included both ranking and grading for each patient. The rankings of each of the 69 judges for the 108 patients were correlated with the rankings of each of the other judges yielding 13 873 Spearman rs values, ranging from -0.08 to ＋0.85. Of these, 90% were greater than 0.4, showing moderate-to-high consistency among the 69 orthodontists. In the combined evaluations, study casts were the most significant predictive component （R2=0.86, P〈0.000 1）, while the inclusion of lateral cephalometric films and facial photographs also contributed to a more comprehensive assessment （R2=0.96, P〈0.000 1）. Grading scores for SC＋LX and SC＋PH were highly significantly correlated with those for SC＋LX＋PH （r（SC＋LX）vs.（SC＋LX＋PH）=0.96, r（SC＋PH）vs.（SC＋LX＋PH）=0.97）, showing that either SC＋LX or SC＋PH is an excellent substitute for all three combined assessment,     

Nasal septal surgery: evaluation of symptomatic and general health outcomes

Although septoplasty and submucous resections are common procedures, there have been very few studies on the outcome of nasal septal surgery. This prospective study of two hundred patients undergoing septal surgery used the Fairley nasal symptom score, the Nottingham health profile, a general health questionnaire and clinical examination of nasal cavities to assess the outcome. A wide range of baseline severity scores was observed. Almost 40% of patients failed to attend for review. Analysis of the outcomes in the remaining 121 patients revealed significant improvement in (a) nasal obstruction in 74%, (b) facial pain in 72%, and (c) catarrh in 64% of patients. There was a lack of correlation between observed postoperative reduction in the number of nasal septal areas deviated and improvement in nasal obstruction. The Nottingham health profile and general health questionnaire scores remained unchanged in a large majority of patients. Postoperative improvement in nasal obstruction was independent of grade of surgeon or concomitant lateral nasal wall surgery. The principal benefits of septal surgery relate to improvement in nasal symptoms. The generic quality‐of‐life measures such as the Nottingham health profile and general health questionnaire did not show significant improvement in quality of life. Our results support the use of disease‐specific instruments to evaluate the outcome of septal surgery.     

A randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of online rehabilitative intervention for adult hearing-aid users

Abstract

Objective: Previous research shows that the internet can be used in the rehabilitation of hearing-aid users. By further developing the online program, it might be possible to foster behavioral changes that will positively affect hearing-aid users. Design: A randomized controlled study with two groups of participants. The intervention group underwent a five-week online intervention while the control group was referred to a waiting list. Questionnaires were used as outcome measures. Study sample: Seventy-six experienced hearing-aid users participated in the study, ranging in age from 26 to 81 years (mean 69.3 years). Results: The findings showed significant improvements in the intervention group after the intervention, measured by the hearing handicap inventory for the elderly. The effects were maintained and improved at the follow-up. Furthermore, the results indicated that the participants in the intervention group improved at two items of the international outcome inventory for hearing aids, and the effects were partly maintained at the follow-up. Finally, significant improvements in the domain of psychosocial wellbeing were found at the follow-up. Conclusions: This study provides further evidence that the internet can be used to deliver intervention of rehabilitation to hearing-aid users.     

Influence of signal processing strategy in auditory abilities

The signal processing strategy is a parameter that may influence the auditory performance of cochlear implant and is important to optimize this parameter to provide better speech perception, especially in difficult listening situations.ObjectiveTo evaluate the individual's auditory performance using two different signal processing strategy.Methods: Prospective study with 11 prelingually deafened children with open-set speech recognition. A within-subjects design was used to compare performance with standard HiRes and HiRes 120 in three different moments. During test sessions, subject's performance was evaluated by warble-tone sound-field thresholds, speech perception evaluation, in quiet and in noise.ResultsIn the silence, children S1, S4, S5, S7 showed better performance with the HiRes 120 strategy and children S2, S9, S11 showed better performance with the HiRes strategy. In the noise was also observed that some children performed better using the HiRes 120 strategy and other with HiRes.ConclusionNot all children presented the same pattern of response to the different strategies used in this study, which reinforces the need to look at optimizing cochlear implant clinical programming.     

Crooked nose: outcome evaluations in rhinoplasty

A crooked nose is the result of deformities that might involve the bony nasal pyramid, the upper and lower lateral cartilages, and nasal septum, causing complaints of aesthetic and/or functional nature.PurposeTo evaluate how satisfied are those patients who underwent rhinoplasty to correct crooked nose, through the questionnaire Rhinoplasty Outcomes Evaluation (ROE).Material and methodA longitudinal study with retrospective analysis of preoperative satisfaction and prospective analysis of postoperative satisfaction of patients who underwent rhinoplasty. ROE questionnaire was applied twice in the same visit aiming at measuring patient satisfaction in both pre and postoperative periods. Nineteen patients who underwent rhinoplasty answered the ROE.ResultsFor all patients who underwent rhinoplasty, the average preoperative satisfaction score was of 24.6±11.3, while the average postoperative score was of 76.1±19.5 (p<0.0001). Average differences between pre and postoperative satisfaction scores in patients younger than 30 years of age were lower than those reported by ≥30-year-old patients (p=0.05).ConclusionFrom the Rhinoplasty Outcomes Evaluation questionnaire, it is possible to demonstrate the impact that rhinoplasty to correct a crooked nose determines the quality of life of patients. Approximately 90% of patients undergoing rhinoplasty believed they achieved a good or excellent postoperative result.