Outcomes of septal surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the change in health-related quality of life following septal surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

Post-intervention, health-related quality of life questionnaire.

PARTICIPANTS

Adult patients undergoing septal surgery, recruited from two sources (the Scottish ENT outcomes study and the North Glasgow National Health Service Trust) over an 18-month period.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Glasgow benefit inventory score.

RESULTS

A total of 149 Glasgow benefit inventories were returned. Of these, 13 were incomplete and were thus excluded, leaving 136 to be analysed. The response rate from the Scottish ENT outcomes study patients was 55 per cent and the response rate from the North Glasgow National Health Service Trust patients was 41 per cent, giving an overall response rate of 49 per cent. The mean Glasgow benefit inventory score was 11.3 (standard deviation 20, 95 per cent confidence interval 7.8 to 14.7). This result was similar to those of other studies using the Glasgow benefit inventory to assess septal surgery outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Patients reported minimal improvement in their health-related quality of life following septal surgery.