title: Nasal splinting using silicone plates without gauze packing following septoplasty combined with inferior turbinate surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nasal packing after septoplasty is uncomfortable and painful for patients. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of nasal splinting using silicone plates to prevent complications and decrease the pain after septoplasty compared with the conventional gauze packing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five adult patients who had undergone septoplasty were included in this study. The patients were allocated into two groups: Group S, silicone plates were used (13 males, 2 females); and Group G, gauze packing smeared with an antibiotic ointment was used (19 males, 1 female). We evaluated and compared the postoperative pain, pain due to postoperative cleaning, nasal bleeding, postnasal drip, body temperature, effect on stay in the hospital, effect on food intake and sleep disturbance using visual analogue scale (VAS) scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The postoperative pain score in Group S was significantly lower than in Group G on days 1 and 2 after the septoplasty. And the pain due to postoperative cleaning score was significantly lower than in Group G on days 2 and 3 after operation. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in regard to nasal bleeding, postnasal drip, body temperature, effect on stay in the hospital, effect on food intake or sleep disturbance. Objective evaluation performed at 4 weeks postoperatively revealed that nasal crusting occurred at a significantly higher incidence in Group G compared with Group S.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of silicone plates in lieu of conventional gauze packing decreased post-septoplasty nasal pain and pain due to postoperative cleaning of the nasal cavity. We conclude that nasal splinting using silicone plates after septoplasty is an effective method for managing pain and preventing complications.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-shinbashi, Minato, Tokyo 108-8461, Japan. asaka@jikei.ac.jp
authors: Daiya
authors: D
authors: Asaka
authors: Mamoru
authors: M
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: Tetsushi
authors: T
authors: Okushi
authors: Tsuguhisa
authors: T
authors: Nakayama
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Matsuwaki
authors: Nobuyoshi
authors: N
authors: Otori
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Moriyama