title: Removing intranasal splints after septal surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this retrospective chart review of the patients who had septal surgery with or without turbinate surgery was to compare the postoperative complication rates according to the time of intranasal-splint (INS) removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of 137 patients who underwent septal surgery with or without turbinate surgery at 2 different hospitals of Acıbadem Health Care Group between January 2007 and March 2009 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients who had these risk factors were eliminated, and 96 patients were included in this study. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to splint-removal time. The first group comprises patients whose nasal splints were removed in 24 hours after surgery, and the second group comprises patients whose splints were removed 5 days after the surgery. Any bleeding, septal hematoma, and synechia after pack removal were recorded. Analysis of the rate of complications was done with the χ test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five male and 31 female patients with a mean age of 32.4 years (range, 18-57 years) were included in the study groups. Septal surgeries were performed in association with turbinate surgery in all 96 patients. These patients were divided into 2 groups. In the first group (n = 50), INSs were removed in 24 hours after surgery. In the second group (n = 46), INSs were removed 5 days after surgery. Bleeding within the first postoperative week was not recorded in both groups. Late bleeding was recorded in 2% (n = 1) of group 1 and in 2.17% (n = 1) in group 2. Septal hematoma and synechia were not recorded in none of the groups. The results were not statistically significant (P = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The routine use of INSs after septoplasty and removing them 24 hours after septoplasty are sufficient to avoid postoperative complications, and it minimizes postoperative discomfort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maslak Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: Gediz Murat
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Serin
authors.forename: Senol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.forename: Asm
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaytaz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013165:Splints; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014420:Turbinates / Q000601:surgery*