Postoperative morbidity after anterior septoplasty with versus without nasal packing comparative randomized trial Monasar S. Al-Muflahi (MD

Abstract

Objective: To compare the postoperative morbidity and duration of hospital stay among patients after anterior septoplasty with vs.

without nasal packing in Ibn Sina Teaching Hospital and two private polyclinics (Hadhramout Hospital and Al-Madinah Polyclinic) in Mukalla city, Hadhramout, Yemen.

Methods: A comparative, prospective clinical trial was carried out among patients with anterior deviated nasal septum who had anterior septoplasty performed.

One hundred surgically treated patients were randomly divided into two equal groups according to the management protocol and evaluated by a surgeon after the procedures.

Studied complications after septoplasty included; septal hematoma, septal perforation,postoperative adhesions, endonasal bleeding, nasal pain and headache, and respiratory discomfort.

Data was collected and analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 16.

Results: One hundred patients, males were 55 females were 45, the youngest patient was 20 years, the oldest patient was 50 years, the majority of patients were between 31-40 years.

The highest incidence of postoperative bleeding was in the 3rd postoperative day in patients with nasal packing while it was minimal on the 3rd day in patients without nasal packing.

Septal perforation was found in two patients with packing while perforation was seen in one patient without packing.

Fifty patients who had nasal packing were found to have more postoperative morbidity like pain, headache, breathing discomfort.There was no postoperative haematoma and postoperative adhesions in both groups.

Postoperative stay in the hospital was longer in patients who had undergone anterior septoplasty with nasal packing and shorter in patients without packing.

Fifty patients without packing were discharged on the 1st day after the operation while 45 patients with packing were discharged on the 3rd postoperative day and five on the 2nd postoperative day.

Conclusion: Anterior septoplasty without anterior nasal packing is a safe procedure with less postoperative morbidity and with a shorter hospital stay after operation.

It revealed more acceptable functional outcomes compared to anterior septoplasty with nasal packing