Relation between epistaxis, external nasal deformity, and septal deviation following nasal trauma

Correlation between nasal mucosal temperature change and the perception of nasal patency: a literature review

BACKGROUND

The mechanism of nasal airflow sensation is poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the role of nasal mucosal temperature change in the subjective perception of nasal patency and the methods by which it can be quantified.

METHOD

Medline and PubMed database searches were performed to retrieve literature relevant to the topic.

RESULTS

The primary mechanism producing the sensation of nasal patency is thought to be the activation of transient receptor potential melastatin family member 8 ('TRPM8'), a thermoreceptor that is activated by nasal mucosal cooling. Computational fluid dynamics studies have demonstrated that increased airflow and heat flux are correlated with better patient-reported outcome measure scores. Similarly, physical measurements of the nasal cavity using temperature probes have shown a correlation between lower nasal mucosal temperatures and better patient-reported outcome measure scores.

CONCLUSION

Nasal mucosal temperature change may be correlated with the perception of improved nasal patency. Future research should quantify the impact of mucosal cooling on the perception of nasal airway obstruction.

National Analysis of Risk Factors for Nasal Fractures and Associated Injuries in Trauma

Nasal fractures account for up to 58% of facial fractures. However, the literature characterizing associated injuries and risk factors for nasal fractures is sparse and is mostly composed of single-center experiences. This study sought to provide a large descriptive analysis and identify associated injuries and risk factors for nasal fractures in trauma using a national database. A retrospective analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) from 2007 to 2015 was performed. Patients ≥18 years of age with nasal fractures were included. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify predictors for nasal fracture in trauma. Of 5,494,609 trauma patients in the NTDB, 255,533 (4.6%) had a nasal fracture. Most were male (74.8%) with a mean age of 45.6 years. Blunt trauma accounted for 90.5% of fractures, with motor vehicle accident being the most common mechanism (27.5%). Closed fractures occurred in 93.0% of patients. Concomitant injuries included traumatic brain injury (TBI; 56.9%), malar/maxillary fracture (27.9%), and open wound of the face (38.6%) and nose (9.5%). Of all patients, 10.1% underwent closed or open reductions at index hospitalization. The strongest associated injuries with nasal fracture included open wound of the nose (odds ratio [OR]: 8.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.49-8.94, p  < 0.001), epistaxis (OR: 5.26, 95% CI: 4.59-6.02, p  < 0.001), malar/maxillary fracture (OR: 4.38, 95% CI: 4.30-4.45, p  < 0.001), and orbital fracture (OR: 3.99, 95% CI: 3.91-4.06, p  < 0.001). Nasal fractures are common traumatic injuries with more than 90% occurring by blunt mechanism and over half suffering from a concomitant TBI. The strongest associated injury with nasal fracture is an open wound of the nose.

Nasal septal deviation in a mediaeval population

In modern populations, there is evidence that nasal septal deviation (NSD) may be associated with maxillary sinusitis, and that those with NSD may differ in craniofacial morphology from those without or with less severe NSD. Whether these associations hold true for earlier populations has yet to be investigated. The current work is a step toward remedying this. The study group comes from a mediaeval English archaeological site. NSD was quantified using image analysis. Maxillary sinusitis was identified from new bone formation in the antrum. Cranial morphology was assessed using standard craniometric measurements. The results provided no evidence for a relationship between NSD and maxillary sinus disease. NSD was associated with reduced measures of upper facial height, suggesting decoupling of growth in vertical height of the nasal septum and the bony structures surrounding it.

Clinical evaluation of the nose: a cheap and effective tool for the nasal fracture diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

An accurate diagnosis of nasal fracture is dependent on a thorough history and physical examination. The purpose of this investigation was to create a simple method to establish the diagnosis of nasal fracture based only on clinical criteria.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was carried out of 220 patients suspected of nasal fracture admitted to a hospital specializing in occupational injuries in 2003 and 2004. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive value (PPV/NPV) were calculated for each clinical criterion (8), all the possible combinations of 2 clinical criteria (28) and 3 clinical criteria (56). The following clinical criteria were considered for the analysis: epistaxis, periorbital and/or perinasal ecchymosis, nasal wound or laceration, airway obstruction, nasal inflammation, lateral deviation, irregular nasal dorsum, and acute septal injury. Logisitic regression was used to assess statistical significance.

RESULTS

For any of the 8 criteria, the average sensitivity and negative predictive values for nasal fracture were very low (<35%). However, specificity and positive predictive values were relatively high (>90%) and increased, respectively, when at least 1 criterion was present (92% and 94%, respectively), when 2 clinical criteria were present (98% and 96%, respectively), and when at least 3 clinical criteria were present (100% for both).

CONCLUSIONS

The presentation of the clinical criteria can be a valuable method for the diagnoses of nasal fracture; nevertheless, when these clinical criteria are absent, the possibility of the nasal fracture cannot be ruled out though the possibility is remote.