BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nasal septal deviation (NSD) on ethmoid cell volume and to determine whether there was any correlation between NSD grade and ethmoid cell volume. METHODS: Forty computerized tomography (CT) scans from patients with rhinosinusitis symptoms with NSD were evaluated. Septal deviations were classified into three groups according to the degree of deviation on CT. Ethmoid cell volumes were measured and the relationship between NSD and ethmoid cell volume was investigated. RESULTS: There was a moderate but significant negative correlation between the septal deviation angle and the percentage of the ethmoid cell volumes (p = 0.001, r = -0.5152, r2 = 0.2654). Total ethmoid cell volume on the ipsilateral side compared with the contralateral side was found to decrease as the degree of NSD increased. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal septal deviation affects the total ethmoid cell volume of the nasal cavity. The results of our study underline the role of ethmoid cell volume in the compensation mechanism equalizing the nasal cavity airflow changes due to NSD.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nasal septal deviation (NSD) on ethmoid cell volume and to determine whether there was any correlation between NSD grade and ethmoid cell volume. METHODS: Forty computerized tomography (CT) scans from patients with rhinosinusitis symptoms with NSD were evaluated. Septal deviations were classified into three groups according to the degree of deviation on CT. Ethmoid cell volumes were measured and the relationship between NSD and ethmoid cell volume was investigated. RESULTS: There was a moderate but significant negative correlation between the septal deviation angle and the percentage of the ethmoid cell volumes (p = 0.001, r = -0.5152, r2 = 0.2654). Total ethmoid cell volume on the ipsilateral side compared with the contralateral side was found to decrease as the degree of NSD increased. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal septal deviation affects the total ethmoid cell volume of the nasal cavity. The results of our study underline the role of ethmoid cell volume in the compensation mechanism equalizing the nasal cavity airflow changes due to NSD.