Non-sinusitis-related rhinogenous headache: a ten-year experience

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the role of anatomical abnormalities in non-sinusitis-related rhinogenous headache and to evaluate response to surgery. Materials and methods: Between January 1995 and December 2004, 71 patients were diagnosed with non-sinusitis-related rhinogenous headache preoperatively and treated with endoscopic sinus surgery and/or septoplasty if other underlying diseases could be ruled out and if long-term medical treatment failed. Data from this group were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Multiple sinonasal anomalies were noted by endoscopy and sinus computed tomographic scans in the 66 patients in the study. These included nasal septum deviation in 46 (69.7%), concha bullosum in 33 (48.5%), and Haller cell in 11 (16.7%). Thirty of the patients with nasal septum deviation needed surgical intervention. Fifty-four (81.8%) of the 66 patients in the study showed significant improvement after surgery and did not require further medical therapy. Conclusions: Our experience demonstrates that non-sinusitis-related rhinogenous headache can be significantly minimized with surgical management, as long as a precise identification of the etiologic anatomical factor can be made.