ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the incidence of post-septoplasty hemorrhage and hematoma formation in patients without anterior nasal packs
Design: A Retrospective Study
Setting: ENT Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Kingdom of Bahrain
Method: Fifty-one patients with a symptomatic deviation of nasal septum who had septoplasty with/without inferior turbinoplasty were included in the study from August 2008 to April 2015. Patients who underwent septoplasty combined with endoscopic sinus surgery were excluded. Septoplasty was performed without postoperative anterior nasal packing, and the patients were assessed for postoperative bleeding and hematoma formation. All patients were followed-up for 4 weeks
Result: Two [3.9%] patients had postoperative bleeding on the day of operation. Forty-nine [96.1%] patients had no nasal bleeding during the hospital stay and no patient had hemorrhage after discharge. No patients had septal hematoma during the follow-up period
Conclusion: Incidence of bleeding following septoplasty without anterior nasal packing is very low and nasal packing should not be routinely used for this procedure