Correlations between objective and subjective tests of nasal patency in patients undergoing septoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed correlations between pre- and post-operative objective and subjective nasal patency test results in patients undergoing septoplasty to treat nasal septum deviation. METHOD: Eighty nasal septum deviation patients who underwent septoplasty were prospectively enrolled. Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation questionnaire scores, anterior rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry data were compared pre-operatively and three months after surgery. The left, right and total volume and left, right and total minimum cross-sectional area acoustic rhinometry values were compared. RESULTS: The left volume, total volume, left minimum cross-sectional area and total minimum cross-sectional area differed significantly between the two time-points (all p < 0.05). The total resistance, inspiratory total airflow, expiratory total resistance and expiratory total airflow rhinomanometric data did not differ between the two timepoints (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggested that subjective tests such as the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation questionnaire are optimal to identify complaints and assess post-operative satisfaction.

Radiological aspect of fungus ball within a mucocele of the sphenoid sinus.

Paranasal sinus fungus ball is within the non-invasive forms and is characterized by the presence of aggregated hyphae that do not invade the sinus mucosa. Mucoceles are benign, expansile, cyst-like lesions of the paranasal sinuses. The mucoid secretions of mucoceles are usually sterile. However, secondary infections, mostly bacterial, may lead to the development of pyocoeles. Although an association between a fungus ball and a mucocele is rare in the paranasal sinuses, this disease entity should be considered in the differential diagnosis of expansile, cystic sinus lesions. In this article, clinical and radiological findings of a 61-year-old male patient with isolated sphenoid sinus fungus ball within a mucocele presented with headache and periorbital pain were discussed with recent literature.