Atrophic Rhinitis and its Surgical Management

Objective: Clinical evaluation of atrophic rhinitis and comparative study of its surgical treatments. Materials and methods: This study was carried out in the Department of ENT, Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital from June 2006 to May 2011 including the cases of atrophic rhinitis. A total of 40 patients of atrophic rhinitis were included in this study. Thirty-two patients had modified Young’s nostril closure and eight patients had dermofat graft obliteration of nasal cavity. Preoperative and postoperative assessment of nasal mucociliary flow rate were also assessed by saccharine test. Fifteen cases were kept in control group to compare the nasal mucociliary flow rate results. Results: The results of both surgical modalities were compared at various intervals for 20 months. Conclusion: The patients with history of nasal myiasis and septal perforation do better with partial nostril closure while patients, not having history of maggots and septal perforations, had best results with dermofat graft operation. It was seen that after surgical treatment of atrophic rhinitis, either by nostril closure or dermofat grafting, there was improvement in nasal mucociliary flow or, nearly, all patients were symptomatically improved.