Determinants of patient-reported satisfaction with treatment outcome 6 months after rhinoplasty

Background: 

Rhinoplasty is a complicated facial surgery which aims to improve the appearance of the nose, resulting in the enhancement of satisfaction with appearance and quality of life. Therefore, it is crucial to understand which factors may influence satisfaction with treatment outcome. 

Methods: 

A cohort study was conducted in 215 patients undergoing rhinoplasty. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to assess the influence of patient characteristics, baseline nasal characteristics, baseline patient-reported outcomes, and postoperative clinician-reported outcomes on satisfaction with treatment outcome 6 months post-rhinoplasty. 

Results: 

The final model included all preoperative and postoperative characteristics and the following variables were independent determinants that contributed to a higher outcome satisfaction: Patients with a dorsal hump preoperatively (β = 0.32; <0.001), over or under projection preoperatively (β = 0.13; <0.05) and a higher clinician-reported appraisal of the nose appearance (VAS-scale) postoperatively (β = 0.18; <0.01). A bulbous or boxy tip preoperatively (β = −0.13; <0.01) was associated with worse satisfaction with treatment outcome. According to the final model, 23 % of the variance in satisfaction with treatment outcome at 6 months after rhinoplasty could be explained. 

Conclusion: 

Baseline nasal characteristics and postoperative clinician-reported outcomes were associated with patient-reported satisfaction with treatment outcomes after rhinoplasty while patient characteristics and baseline patient-reported outcomes were not associated. Management of patient expectations regarding outcomes and the influence of baseline nasal characteristics could aid in improving patient-reported satisfaction with treatment outcome.