Purpose: The objective of this study was to prove the higher frequency of the type 6 deformations overall compared to the results obtained by conventional diagnostic methods, such as computed tomography images and clinical examination.
Methods: The study was performed at the Institute of Anatomy, where a total of 114 randomly selected skulls were examined. The skulls were then scanned in a fixed position using the cone-beam technique (CBCT). The literature epidemiological data of the clinical incidence of type 6 in studies that also used Mladina classification were obtained.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001) in the frequency of type 6 deformation as diagnosed by visual inspection (22.8%) and computed tomography (7.9%). The frequency obtained by CT imaging amounted 7.9% and was almost the same as the results obtained by a clinical examination which varied between 9 and 11%.
Conclusions: The frequency of type 6 nasal septal deformation is higher by visual inspection of the skulls than by computed tomography imaging at a level of significance of 0.05. The incidence of type 6 findings on coronal CT images of paranasal sinuses is approximately the same as that found with anterior rhinoscopy. Type 6, visible or concealed; probably have one-fourth to one-fifth people in population, so the number of clinically overlooked and/or unrecognized types 6 is much greater than we thought it to be.
Keywords: Cartilage; Epistaxis; Nasal cavity; Nasal septum; Respiration.