title: Surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) with or without intraoperative releasing of the nasal septum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess nasal septum deviation after surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) with or without intraoperative releasing of the nasal septum.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 consecutive adult patients with transverse maxillary deficiency underwent SARME with intraoperative releasing (n = 10) or nonreleasing (n = 10) of the nasal septum. Cone beam computed tomography scans were obtained immediately after surgery (T1), after the end of distraction (T2), and 6 months after SARME (T3). Deviation of the nasal septum was evaluated by angular measurements on superimposed cone beam computed tomography images from T1 to T3. Moreover, visible nasal septum deviation was assessed by using superimposed clinical photos obtained preoperatively (CP1) and before second-stage surgery (CP2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were found between releasing and nonreleasing of the nasal septum in angular radiographic measurements from T1 to T3 (0 degrees; 95% confidence interval -0.62 to 0.62; P = .5) or visible nasal deviation from CP1 to CP2 (-0.14 degrees; 95% confidence interval -0.64 to 0.36; P = .28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicate that there is no need for intraoperative releasing of the nasal septum during SARME. However, further randomized studies based on large patient groups are needed before final conclusions on this topic can be reached.
authors.affiliation: Consultant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. Electronic address: Thomas.jensen@rn.dk.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Biostatistician, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodrigo-Domingo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063166:Maxillary Osteotomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique