Association of Depression and Anxiety With Postoperative Complications After Septoplasty With Turbinoplasty
In brief
Untreated depression or anxiety nearly quadruples nosebleed odds after septoplasty
In a matched database study, patients with untreated depression or anxiety had nearly four times the odds of nosebleeds after septoplasty with turbinate reduction compared with patients taking medication for these conditions. Other outcomes went in different directions: untreated patients had lower readmission and opioid-prescription risks. The retrospective findings show associations, not whether psychiatric treatment changes surgical outcomes.
- Journal
- Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Q1)
- Published
- 25 September 2026
- Study design
- Retrospective cohort
- Evidence level
- Level 3, Low (CEBM 3b)
- Authors
- Amala Nayak, Iman Adibi, Suhas Rao Velichala, Michael F Armstrong, Theodore Schuman
- PMID
- 42788780
- DOI
- 10.1002/ohn.70462
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Otorhinolaryngology (paper of the day, 28 September 2026): Depression/anxiety linked to septoplasty complications
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.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.