Traumatic nose

Abstract

Between September 1986 and August 1987 we studied 40 patients older than 15 years, with the diagnosis of nasal trauma; our objective was to compare the frequency of anatomic, physiologic and clinical alterations before and after surgical correction. Most of our patients were between 15 and 29 years of age and both sexes were equally represented; mesorrhyne was the most frequent nasal form (57.2%); septal deviation was present in every patient; In 13 (32.5%) there was atrophy of the middle pan of the face; history of trauma was found in only 11 patients (27.5%). Nasal obstruction improved In 36 patients as a result of the operation despite the facts that rhynomanometry revealed Improvement In only 20 and that septal deviation persisted In 12. We conclude that it is still difficult to objectively evaluate the diagnosis of nasal trauma and the results of its surglcal treatment, even with the use of the rhynomanometer. We postulate that every septal deviation or laterorrhyne is attributable to trauma, though often it is unnoticed.