INVESTIGATION OF LATERAL NASAL GRAPHY SENSITIVITY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF NASAL FRACTURE; RETROSPECTIVE CLINICAL STUDY
1Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Bağcılar Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, KBB, İstanbul, Türkiye Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate specifity and sensitivity of direct lateral nasal graphy in diagnosis of nasal bone fracture.Material Method: 87 patients who were referred to our clinic due to maxillofacial trauma were included in the study. Records of patients were retrospectively reviewed. The results of direct lateral nasal radiography with the nasal palpation findings of the patients were evaluated as presence or absence of nasal fracture and the results were compared.
Results: A total of 16 patients (% 18,3) had fracture in physical examination. Nasal fracture was not determined in 71 patients. In 51 of these patients (58.6%), there was no fracture on the radiograph and examination. Specificity was determined to be 71.8%. Twenty patients had suspicion of a fracture line. False positivity rate was 28.2%. In 12 patients (13.7%), fracture in physical examination was detected although no fracture line was seen in radiography. Our false negativity rate was 75%. Four patients had fracture with nasal graphy and physical examination.
Conclusion: Although physical examination is still the gold standard in the diagnosis of nasal bone fractures, further imaging methods such as computed tomography and ultrasonography can be used to confirm the diagnosis. Lateral nasal graphy is insufficient to confirm the diagnosis.
Keywords : Nasal bone fracture, lateral nasal graphy, nasal manipulation