Functional Results Strongly Influence Postoperative Satisfaction in Patients Who Have Undergone Rhinoplasty

by Linda Kossoff •

How do different variables influence postoperative patient satisfaction and quality of life following rhinoplasty?

BOTTOM LINE

Functional outcomes play an important role in satisfaction and quality of life after rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Rhinoplasty is a challenging procedure in terms of satisfactory postoperative outcomes. The final goal, the patient’s well-being, depends on multiple variables and is difficult to assess. Nasal airflow restoration and preservation can influence postoperative satisfaction, and studies have examined relationships between neoclassical canons and ideal measures, and post-rhinoplasty satisfaction.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational study.

SETTING: Graduate Program in Surgery, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

SYNOPSIS: Researchers identified 78 patients who underwent rhinoplasty at a single institution from 2010 to 2019 and received at least 60 months’ postoperative follow-up. Most were preoperatively evaluated with septal deviation. Patients completed preoperative questionnaires, and Nasal Obstruction Symptoms Evaluation (NOSE-p), Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE), and Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination (BDDE) scales were applied before and after rhinoplasty in all postoperative appointments. Postoperatively, patients were divided into a high satisfaction group (n = 59) and low satisfaction group (n = 19) based on ROE scores. Significantly increased ROE scores were recorded in both groups. All patients showed significant reductions in NOSE-p scores after surgery. Previous rhinoplasty, preoperative crooked nose, and higher NOSE-p scores were associated with lower ROE scores. The high satisfaction group had a significant reduction in postoperative BDDE scores; the low satisfaction group showed no significant difference. No association was found between preoperative BDDE scores and postoperative satisfaction rates. In objective facial analysis, no statistical differences between the groups regarding satisfaction were found. Study limitations included the prevalence of nasal obstruction management cases.

CITATION: de Souza OE, Lavinsky-Wolff M, Migliavacca RO, et al. Analysis of determinants of postoperative satisfaction after rhinoplasty. Laryngoscope. 2022;132:1569–1575.