Evaluation of outcomes in nasal valve surgery for patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS)

Aim: The aim of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of nasal valve surgery and its reflection on functions in patients diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) by comparing the changes in pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements. Methods: Patients experiencing nasal breathing difficulties were selected for the study. Those who underwent polysomnography (PSG) and were subsequently diagnosed with OSAS were further evaluated for nasal pathology within the plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgery department. PSG assessments were conducted both before and approximately three months after surgery to measure changes in AHI and minimum oxygen saturation levels. Results: All 24 patients were male and the mean age was 47.5 ± 8.5 years (range: 29-63 years). Neck circumference was 45±2.9 cm (range: 41-50 cm). In terms of AHI, minimum oxygen concentration, and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), there were statistically differences between the pre-operation and post-operation groups (p<0.01, p<0.05, and p<0.01, respectively). In terms of internal nasal valve, external nasal valve of the nose, and external valve angle, there were statistically differences between the pre-operation and post-operation groups (p<0.001, p<0.01, and p<0.01, respectively). In our study, it was shown that changes in valve areas and angles provided a statistically significant increase in postoperative AHI and mean oxygen saturation results (p<0.05). Conclusion: CPAP treatment is useless in patients with closed nasal passages. It has been observed that correct and effective nasal valve surgery techniques can increase nasal breathing functions and improve quality of life in OSAS patients with nasal obstruction.