Effect of aesthetic rhinoplasty on respiratory functions.
Joseph's rhinoplasty operation, with minor modifications, was performed on 20 patients for aesthetic reasons. Various tests of the patient breathing though the nose were carried out both in the preoperative period and 10, 30, and 90 days after surgery. Respiratory-function test results improved in the majority of patients after rhinoplasty. FVC increased in 65% of the cases at day 10, in 85% at day 30, and in 75% at day 90. FEV1 increased in 65% of the cases at day 10, in 65% at day 30, and in 70% at day 90. FEV1/FVC increased in 60% of the cases at day 10, in 65% at day 30, and in 70% at day 90. The only statistically significant increase when compared with preoperative values was the increase in the values of FEV1/FVC at the 30th postoperative day. Decreases in respiratory function test values were insignificant in most of the patients. FEV1/FVC x 100 decreases of more than 10% were seen in three patients, indicating increased nasal resistance, at the 90th postoperative day. However, the lowest value was 50.4 and none of the patients reported subjective nasal obstruction. In conclusion it was observed in this study that properly executed cosmetic rhinoplasty did not have any significant negative effects on respiratory functions in most patients, and improved respiratory functions in most.