Clinical outcomes of septoplasty and inferior turbinate reduction in the geriatric veterans' population

BACKGROUND: Patients older than 65 years constitute an increasingly large percentage of the patient population that presents to an adult otolaryngology practice due to the increase in life expectancy. The objective of this study is to assess the clinical outcomes of septoplasty with or without inferior turbinate reduction in patients who are 65 years or older. METHODS: This is a prospective nonrandomized longitudinal study of 40 patients aged 65 years or more and who underwent septoplasty with or without inferior turbinate reduction. Patients received Nasal Health Survey (NHS) and General Health Status Short Form (SF-12) questionnaires before and 6 months after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using the paired t-test. RESULTS: The preoperative NHS score was 52.3, while the postoperative score was 76.6 (p < 0.001). The reported benefit reflected improvement in symptoms (p < 0.001) and reduction in medication usage (p < 0.001). In addition, the SF-12 score improved after the surgery but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.055). CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: Septoplasty and inferior turbinate reduction is beneficial in the veterans' population for patients 65 years or older who present with nasal obstruction and are noted on physical examination to have septal deviation and inferior turbinate hypertrophy.