Risk factors for corrective septorhinoplasty associated with initial treatment of isolated nasal fracture

IMPORTANCE Initial treatment of nasal fractures can result in long-standing cosmetic or functional defects, but the risk factors for subsequent septorhinoplasty have not been explored. OBJECTIVE To assess the risk factors for septorhinoplasty after the initial treatment of isolated nasal fracture. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective population-based analysis of US patients diagnosed with nasal fracture between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2015, used insurance claims data from the Commercial and Medicare Supplemental categories of the Truven Health MarketScan database. Of the 340 715 patients diagnosed with nasal fracture, 78 474 were included in the final study cohort, excluding those who did not meet enrollment criteria or were diagnosed with concomitant facial fracture. Patients were classified into 1 of 4 groups according to the type and timing of treatment. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Septorhinoplasty between 6 and 24 months after nasal fracture diagnosis. Explanatory variables included initial fracture treatment, demographics, comorbidities, and diagnoses associated with a preexisting nasal obstruction or defect. RESULTS Most of the 78 474 patients were under 65 years of age (66 770 [85.1%]) and male (41 997 [53.5%]) and lived in an urban area (67 938 [86.6%]). Among patients with no preexisting diagnosis of nasal obstruction or defect, open treatment within 3 weeks (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.76; 95% CI, 1.33-2.32) of nasal fracture and between 3 weeks and 6 months (aOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.14-2.04) after fracture were associated with increased risk of subsequent septorhinoplasty. In patients with a diagnosis of preexisting nasal obstruction or defect, observation (aOR, 3.56; 95% CI, 2.80-4.53), closed reduction treatment (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.93-4.96), and open treatment within 3 weeks (aOR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.48-2.77) of fracture were all associated with increased risk of subsequent septorhinoplasty, with observation having the highest risk. Patients were also more likely to undergo subsequent septorhinoplasty if they were younger than 65 years, with the greatest risk seen in patients 18 to 34 years of age (aOR, 6.02; 95% CI, 4.26-8.50), lived in an urban area (aOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.01-1.44), or had a history of anxiety (aOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.18-1.78), but less likely if they were male (aOR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73-0.91). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study suggests that a preexisting diagnosis of nasal obstruction or defect and other aspects of a patient's history are factors to consider when assessing the likelihood of surgical revision of initial treatment of nasal fracture.