Antibiotics and topical surgical preparation solution in septal surgery.

One thousand forty patients undergoing septal surgery of the nose were included in this 5-year study of no prophylactic antibiotics and no topical surgical preparation solution before surgery. Minor nasal infections developed in only five patients (0.48%) postoperatively. All five of these patients responded to oral antibiotic therapy and did not require hospitalization or intravenous antibiotic treatment. The incidence of infectious complications resulting from nasal surgery without the use of topical surgical preparation solution and without prophylactic antibiotics is minimal. No topical surgical preparation solution and no prophylactic antibiotic technique is a safe and acceptable approach for septoplasty and rhinoplasty surgery.