The Portuguese version of "The Utrecht Questionnaire for outcome assessment in aesthetic rhinoplasty": validation and clinical application.

INTRODUCTION The evaluation of surgical outcomes measured by patient satisfaction or quality of life is very important, especially in plastic surgery. There is increasing interest in self-reporting outcomes evaluation in plastic surgery. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to perform the translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of "The Utrecht Questionnaire for Outcome Assessment in Aesthetic Rhinoplasty" from English to Portuguese. METHODS Retrospective study involving 50 patients undergoing to rhinoplasty comparing the preoperative period with the current postoperative situation (minimum 6 months and maximum 24 months postoperatively). Statistical analysis was performed to assess internal consistency, test-retest reliability, validity and responsiveness. RESULTS No patients received a negative score on the visual analogue scale comparing preoperative and postoperative appearance. The postoperative improvement on the visual analogue scale revealed a Gaussian curve of normal distribution with a mean improvement of 4.44 points. The test-retest reliability showed a positive correlation between the postoperative response and the same questionnaire repeated ninety-six hours later. The internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha value: Preoperative=0.88; Postoperative=0.86). The authors observed a significant improvement in response for all individual questions in the postoperative phase as compared with preoperative situation (t-student test - p<0.05). CONCLUSION The Portuguese version of "The Utrecht Questionnaire for Outcome Assessment in Aesthetic Rhinoplasty" is a valid instrument to assess patients' outcomes following rhinoplasty surgery.