NASAL PACKING AFTER SEPTOPLASTY: IS IT REALLY NECESSARY? PATIENT COMPLICATIONS AND PERCEPTION

Resumen

Introduction

Septoplasty is one of the most frequently performed rhinologic surgeries.

Nowadays, we still debate over the need of nasal packing after septoplasty.

Historically, the use of nasal packing has been proposed to minimize complications, however there are risks and disadvantages related to the use of nasal packing.

 

Objectives

Compare the results of nasal packing and transseptal suture after septoplasty. Analyse patient perception of the postoperative period.

 

Methods

Ambispective study of the patients that underwent septoplasty in a Tertiary Hospital. Patients were questioned about the main difficulties in the postoperative period.

 

Results

This study included 152 patients. Spongostan packing was used 49.4% patients, merocel in 40.1% and 10.5% of the patients had transseptal suture. Regarding complications, there were no statistically significant differences between the three groups. Patient complaints differed according to the type of nasal packing (p=0.01). Patients with transseptal suture had no complaints in the postoperative period.

 

Conclusion

Nasal packing following septoplasty didn’t reduce the number of complications after surgery. 

Septoplasty is a well tolerated surgery and the main complaints of the patients are related to nasal packing.  Transseptal suture seems to be an excellent alternative to the traditional methods of nasal packing.