METHODS OF REHABILITATION IN PATIENTS WITH COMBINED INJURIES OF THE NOSE AND PARANASAL SINUSES

Abstract

Combined injuries of the nose and paranasal sinuses are among the most complex craniofacial traumas because they may simultaneously impair nasal breathing, sinus drainage, olfaction, facial contour, and psychological well-being. Modern rehabilitation should not be limited to fracture repair alone, but should include staged restoration of airway patency, mucosal recovery, sinus ventilation, smell function, and long-term prevention of delayed complications. Objective tools such as acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry improve evaluation of nasal patency, while standardized olfactory testing is important because post-traumatic smell dysfunction is common and may persist despite fracture reduction. Psychological screening should also be integrated into rehabilitation protocols, as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress are frequent after facial trauma.