DOI: 10.1002/ohn.70462 ISSN: 0194-5998

Association of Depression and Anxiety With Postoperative Complications After Septoplasty With Turbinoplasty

Amala Nayak, Iman Adibi, Suhas Rao Velichala, Michael F. Armstrong, Theodore Schuman

Abstract

Objectives

Evaluate the association between comorbid depression and anxiety and postoperative complications following septoplasty with turbinoplasty, and assess whether treatment of these conditions influences surgical outcomes.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study with propensity‐score matched analysis.

Setting

Multi‐institutional database study utilizing the TriNetX Research Network.

Methods

The TriNetX Research Network was utilized to identify patients undergoing septoplasty and concurrent turbinoplasty; propensity score‐matched analyses were conducted after adjusting for demographics and medical comorbidities. Postoperative complication rates for anosmia, epistaxis, opioid prescription, emergency department (ED) visits, sinusitis, readmission, and septal perforation were compared among patients without depression or anxiety, patients with untreated depression/anxiety, and patients with medication‐treated depression/anxiety.

Results

Patients (n = 5012 per group) without depression or anxiety had lower odds of epistaxis (OR 0.70, P  = .0083), sinusitis (OR 0.62, P  = .0019), ED visits (OR 0.52, P  < .0001), hospital readmission (OR 0.55, P  < .0001), and postoperative opioid prescription (OR 0.77, P  < .0001) than patients with depression/anxiety. Patients (n = 4470 per group) with untreated depression/anxiety had higher odds of epistaxis (OR 3.94, P  < .0001) but a lower 90‐day risk of hospital readmission (OR 0.38, P  < .0001) and opioid prescription (OR 0.69, P  < .0001) compared to treated depression/anxiety.

Conclusion

Comorbid depression or anxiety are associated with differences in outcomes following septoplasty with turbinoplasty. Future studies are needed to clarify the impact of treating psychiatric disorders on postoperative outcomes following otolaryngology procedures.