CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVIATED NASAL SEPTUM (DNS): OUR EXPERIENCE AT TERTIARY CARE CENTRE AT KASHMIR

DR OMAR MOHAMMAD SHAFI; DR ABDUL HANAN; DR AEZAZ AHMAD BHAT

Volume : VII, Issue : III, March - 2018

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF DEVIATED NASAL SEPTUM (DNS): OUR EXPERIENCE AT TERTIARY CARE CENTRE AT KASHMIR

Dr Omar Mohammad Shafi, Dr Abdul Hanan, Dr Aezaz Ahmad Bhat

Abstract :

Background: To study the types of DNS and its different types, using Mladina classification as reference and correlate their clinical symptoms.Methods: In this study patients who presented to ENT opd with nasal symptoms of nasal septal deformity were included. The exclusion criteria included patients with acute nasal infection, patients with other nasal pathologies such as nasal polypi, nasal growths and patients with history of previous septal surgery. Symptoms, age, gender, history of previous nasal surgery and query regarding the etiology of the nasal symptoms were recorded. Assessment of nasal septum was done by clinical examination and nasal endoscopy was performed where required, especially in posterior deflections. A complete nasal examination of every patient was done by inspection and palpation of external nose, anterior rhinoscopy, assessment of nasal patency (by fogging on cold spatula and cotton wick methods) and sense of smell,first without and then after topical spray of vasoconstrictive nasal spray. In patients, with posterior deflections, nasal endoscopy was done, after preparation, to ascertain the type and site of DNS according to Mladina classification. Results: The frequency of DNS was 67% in males and 58% in females. Most of the patients presented between 2nd and 4th decades. Incidence of different types( Type–1 to Type 7) of DNS was 10%,23%,9%,7%,29%,6%,16% respectively. The main complaints of the patients were nasal obstruction (82%), headache (45%), hyposmia (32%), epistaxis (10%), etc. Conclusion; Anterior deflections are more common than the posterior deflections. Type–2 and 5 are the commonest types, according to Mladina classification. Nasal obstruction was the most common complaint. Nasal endoscopy is important for the diagnosis, especially of posterior deflections.