Trends in Nasal Septal and Inferior Turbinate Surgery in Korea From 2010 to 2022

Background and Objectives Since the introduction of nasal valve surgery, trends in septoplasty and inferior turbinate surgery (ITS) have changed in Korea. However, a detailed analysis of these changes has yet to be conducted. Methods Data on septoplasty and ITS performed from 2010 to 2022 were extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) Bigdata Open portal and trends were analyzed. Analyses according to the type of medical institution, patient sex and age, and the specialty of the surgeon were also conducted. Results The frequency of both septoplasty and ITS gradually decreased from 2012 to 2017, which marked the low point, and the frequency of these procedures gradually increased thereafter. In 2010, 41.5% of septoplasty procedures were performed in general hospitals, 7.3% in hospitals, and 47.3% in clinics. However, the proportion of these procedures performed in general hospitals subsequently decreased, while the corresponding proportion in hospitals and clinics increased. Both septoplasty and ITS were performed more than twice as often in men than in women. The number of patients under the age of 19 decreased, while the number of female patients aged 20–29 increased. The number of septoplasty procedures performed by plastic surgeons increased. Conclusion Since the introduction of nasal valve surgery, the number of septoplasty procedures performed by plastic surgeons has increased.