Objective: A prospective randomised study for comparison of the efficacy and possible complications of nasal airway splint, synthetic polyurethane foam (nasopore) and transseptal suture technique in septoplasty.
Material and Methods: 60 patients underwent septoplasty for septal deviation. These patients were divided into three groups: nasal airway splint (using intranasal septal splints at the end of the operation) (Group I), nasopore (using nasopore packing at the end of the operation) (Group II) and non-packing (using separate trans-septum through and through horizontal mattress sutures without any mesh or intranasal splint insertion) (Group III). Patients were asked to record pain levels using a visual analogue scale. The three groups were compared for postoperative subjective complaints (pain, pressure sensation, nasal congestion, anterior rhinorrhea, postnasal drip, dysphagia, sleep disorder) and complications (perforation, hematoma, infection, synechiae, postoperative bleeding).
Results: There were no significant statistical differences between the three groups with respect to the complication parameters studied, but higher postnasal drip levels in Group II compared to the Group I and also no statistical differences in the other parameters (pain, nasal congestion, anterior rhinorrhea, dysphagia, sleep disorder) were found.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that nasopore insertion did not benefit more than those who had trans-septum through and through suturing and intranazal splint. Moreover, internal nazal splint and tansseptal suture technique is much preferable because of the higher cost of nasopore.
Key words: Nasal splint, nasopore, transseptal suture
|
