Impact of nasal septum deviation on the sphenoid bone pneumatization: a retrospective computed tomography study.

Abstract

Background: Deviated nasal septum (DNS) changes aerodynamic airflow pattern and increases nasal resistance that may affect paranasal sinus pneumatization.

Objectives: To explore the relationships among DNS, sphenoid bone pneumatization and surrounding neurovascular structures.

Material and methods: The paranasal sinus CT images of DNS patients (n = 100) and patients without DNS (n = 60) between 2020 and 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Sphenoid bone pneumatization and anterior clinoid processes (ACP) length were measured while surrounding neurovascular structure types were assessed.

Results: In the DNS group, the indicators demonstrating sphenoid bone pneumatization were significantly (p < 0.001) greater than that in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in the indicators demonstrating the positions of vidian canal (VC) and foramen rotundum (FR) between two groups. Regarding proportion of different neurovascular structure grades, the findings were significant (p < 0.05) between two groups. The corrected sphenoid sinus area also correlated with surrounding neurovascular structure types.

Conclusions and significance: Severe DNS is significantly related to the sphenoid bone pneumatization and surrounding neurovascular structure. This suggests that clinicians should be aware of the anatomical variation of sphenoid bone pneumatization and the cranial base structures in DNS patients.