Is packing after septorhinoplasty necessary? A randomized study.

This randomized study was conducted to evaluate the role of nasal packing following septorhinoplasty. Fifty septorhinoplasty patients were selected (on a random basis) to either receive or not receive nasal packing. Twenty-three of 25 patients with nasal packing and 22 of 25 patients without nasal packing were available for follow-up. This study suggests that patients with nasal packing are less likely to develop recurrent septal deviation and synechia and more likely to have improvement in the nasal airway. Only one of the patients with nasal packing found the removal of the packing the most uncomfortable part of the surgery. The most impressive and statistically significant finding, however, was the significant difference between the two groups in terms of airway improvement, which was 96 percent in the nasal packing group and 64 percent in the group without nasal packing. There was also a higher incidence of recurrent or residual septal deviation in the group without nasal packing (41 percent), while the group with nasal packing had only (13 percent) recurrent or residual deviation.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes