title: The pain of nasal tampon removal after nasal surgery: a randomized control trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the pain and discomfort associated with the removal of two commercially available nasal tampons after nasal surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, paired, randomized clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive, consenting, adult patients undergoing nasal surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The nose was packed with a Rapid Rhino tampon (Applied Therapeutics, Tampa, FL) on one side and a Rhino Rocket tampon (Shippert Medical Technologies Corporation, Centennial, CO) on the other.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pain of packing removal was assessed with a validated 100-mm visual analog scale. Patient satisfaction was measured on a Likert scale from 1 to 5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all 13 patients, the pain of removal was greater with the Rhino Rocket Tampon (82.7 +/- 20.9 mm) than with the Rapid Rhino tampon (12.0 +/- 11.9 mm); the mean difference was 70.7 mm (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.1-78.2 mm; P < 0.0001). Patient satisfaction was significantly higher with the Rapid Rhino nasal tampon (4.6 +/- 1.1 vs 1.5 +/- 0.7; mean difference 3.1 [95% CI, 2.6-3.6]; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Removal of the Rapid Rhino nasal tampon was significantly less painful and was associated with higher patient satisfaction than the removal of the Rhino Rocket nasal tampon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chheda
authors.forename: Arnold E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gynizio
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020878:Device Removal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013630:Tampons, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*