Assessment of postsurgical outcomes between different implants in patients with empty nose syndrome: A meta-analysis

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of surgery and different implant materials on subjective outcomes in patients with empty nose syndrome (ENS). Methods Postsurgical outcomes were assessed in a meta-analysis of patients with ENS who underwent treatment with different implants. Results We identified 122 relevant studies, and 6 were included in the meta-analysis (4 prospective trials and 2 randomized controlled trials). A significant difference was found between the preoperative and postoperative Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT) scores for different implants. With respect to implant materials, significant differences were observed between autografts/allografts (AG) and foreign material grafts (FGs). A subgroup analysis of different countries showed that more patients from China underwent surgical implant therapy than patients from other countries. Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests that surgery can improve the symptoms and SNOT scores of patients with ENS, AGs are more effective than FGs in patients with ENS, and that more patients from China undergo surgical implant therapy than patients from other countries.