ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Who may dare to state that optimal choice of treating nasal bone fracture is closed reduction? Few decades of authors' experience in nasal bone fracture has lead to believe that more active and assertive approach in nasal bone fracture by performing simultaneous lateral osteotomy may be applied in proper indications to acquire more accurate reduction and cosmetically satisfying result. METHODS: From May 2008 to October 2009, among 241 nasal bone fracture patients, 20 patients underwent simultaneous lateral osteotomy with nasal bone fracture reduction. Followed by rigid septal correction, nasal cavity is packed to stabilize the fracture segment for safer osteotomy. Through intranasal incision, in selected cases of difficult reduction or for cosmetic purposes, various types of lateral osteotomy was performed corresponding to the fracture anatomy, conditions of the nasal cavity. Postoperative nasal packing was retained for one week and nasal dorsum splint for 3 weeks. RESULTS: Lateral osteotomy was utilized for difficult cases of closed reduction, for correction of wide nose, hump and deviation in 9, 5, 2, and 4 cases, respectively. Patient satisfaction was scaled 90% in satisfaction and moderate in 10% (2 cases), complaining of mild nasal tip deviation. Physicians detected 2 cases of apparent deformity with patient recognition; one patient with mild step deformity at the osteotomy site and the other patient with minimal implant mobility. CONCLUSION: By accompanying profound understanding of the fracture anatomy, more active and assertive approach in nasal fracture reduction can be coincide with simultaneous lateral osteotomy to reduce the rate of secondary deformity and to obtain more cosmetically satisfying result.