The effect on snoring of structural nasal valve dilatation with a butterfly graft.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect on snoring of structural nasal valve dilatation with butterfly spreader grafts in patients with nasal valve insufficiency. DESIGN Retrospective medical chart review and telephone follow-up; mean +/- SD follow-up time, 20.7 +/- 11.34 months (range, 3-48 months). SETTINGS Tertiary care referral center. SUBJECTS A total of 37 snoring patients with nasal valve insufficiency who underwent nasal valve dilatation with a butterfly spreader graft. INTERVENTIONS The conchal cartilage butterfly graft technique was performed during rhinoplasty through either an external or endonasal approach. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE To establish through a retrospective review that butterfly graft conchal cartilage nasal reconstruction is effective in reducing snoring. RESULTS After surgery, 30 patients (81%) had significant improvement in breathing, 5 (14%) had slight improvement, and 2 (5%) had no benefit in breathing. Snoring stopped completely in 11 (30%) of the patients after surgery. The improvement in snoring was significant in 13 patients (35%) and slight in 3 (8%). Twenty-six patients (70%) reported tiredness and grogginess on awakening before the surgery. Surgery significantly improved patients' tiredness and grogginess on awakening in 15 cases (58%), slightly improved them in 5 (19%), and did not change the patients' tiredness and grogginess in 6 cases (23%). CONCLUSION The conchal cartilage butterfly graft yields successful results not only in breathing but also in snoring symptoms in patients with nasal valve insufficiency.