title: Pharyngeal Packing during Rhinoplasty: Advantages and Disadvantages.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Controversy remains as to the advantages and disadvantages of pharyngeal packing during septorhinoplasty. Our study investigated the effect of pharyngeal packing on postoperative nausea and vomiting and sore throat following this type of surgery or septorhinoplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  This clinical trial was performed on 90 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I or II patients who were candidates for septorhinoplasty. They were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the study group had received pharyngeal packing while those in the control group had not. The incidence of nausea and vomiting and sore throat based on the visual analog scale (VAS) was evaluated postoperatively in the recovery room as well as at 2, 6 and 24 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was 12.3%, with no significant difference between the study and control groups. Sore throat was reported in 50.5% of cases overall (56.8% on pack group and 44.4% on control). Although the severity of pain was higher in the study group at all times, the incidence in the two groups did not differ significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of pharyngeal packing has no effect in reducing the incidence of nausea and vomiting and sore throat after surgery. Given that induced hypotension is used as the routine method of anesthesia in septorhinoplasty surgery, with a low incidence of hemorrhage and a high risk of unintended retention of pharyngeal packing, its routine use is not recommended for this procedure.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Anesthesia Research Center, Imam-Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Razavi
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Anesthesia Research Center, Imam-Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehryar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taghavi Gilani
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Anesthesia Research Center, Imam-Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Science, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bameshki
authors.affiliation: General Practitioner, Young Researchers Club and elites, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Behdani
authors.affiliation: Sinus and Surgical Endoscopic Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Khadivi
authors.affiliation: Sinus and Surgical Endoscopic Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakhshaee
keywords: Nausea and vomiting; Pharyngeal pack; Septorhinoplasty; Sore throat