Endoscopic septoplasty: technique and outcomes.
Recent literature has already embraced the topic of endoscopic septoplasty, with several published articles on the subject. This approach provides a direct-targeted route to the anatomic deformity, improved visualization, and magnification of the surgical field. It allows improved evaluation of the posterior nasal septal deformities, identification of the degree of mucosal involvement of the posterior ends of the inferior turbinates, and concomitant assessment of the middle meatus. It permits objective documentation of the cause of nasal obstruction with possible use in outcome assessment. It is also an effective teaching method and a motivating approach for the nursing team. We present our experience in a series of 47 patients performed during a 1 1/2-year period and discuss the surgical technique and patients' outcomes. We systematically used the endoscope for all septal and turbinate surgery. We evaluated outcomes using a telephone survey along with a validated disease-specific health status measure and a global rating questionnaire.