Introduction
As the right-hand dominance is undoubtedly more common in the general
population, hand dominance and its association with the dominant side in
double organs such as feet, eyes (vision), ear (hearing), nostrils
(smell and breathing), and whether such organs have also a dominant side
have long been a matter of scientific curiosity and controversy. Some
authors have shown a correlation between hand dominance and feet, ear,
nostrils and eyes, while some others have not (1-7).
The etiology, prevalence, treatment, and complications of nasal
deviation have also long been investigated. The etiological factors can
be classified into two main groups. The first and larger group includes
the developmental and genetic factors. Twin studies showed similar
deviations in the bony septum, also called the posterior septum, as well
as in the posterior part of the cartilage septum, while anterior septal
deviations did not exhibit any similarities (8). These findings have led
to the conclusion that posterior septal deviations are mainly caused by
genetic factors, while the anterior septal deviations may be more
related to developmental factors (8, 9). The second etiological group
includes the acquired causes. In most cases, an individual sustains at
least one minor or major nasal trauma during his/her lifetime. The most
common reasons for nasal trauma during the neonatal period include the
compaction of the fetus, facial compression in the birth canal, and
facedown falls during the infancy where head control is not totally
complete (10), whereas being punched on the face, falls, traffic
accidents, sports injuries and similar conditions play a more important
role in adolescents (11).
Caudal septal deviations involve the caudal part of the septum and may
lead to cosmetic problems due to low nose tip, dorsal hump, asymmetry of
the nostrils, or columella deviation (12). Depending on the severity of
the deviation, varying degrees of respiratory difficulties may occur due
to the narrowing of the internal nasal valve (13). In some cases, the
caudal septal deviations may be accompanied by other deviations of both
cartilage and bony septum. It has been proposed that caudal septal
deviations are more likely to be caused by traumatic and iatrogenic
factors (8).
In the present study, we hypothesized those congenital nasal dorsal
deviations, caudal septal deviations, and nostril asymmetry could be
linked with handedness. We, therefore, aimed to investigate the
incidence of nostril asymmetry and deviation of the nasal bony pyramid
and caudal septum and to examine their association with the dominant
hand.