Imaging prevalence of nasal septal perforation in an urban population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of nasal septal perforation (NSP) on CT imaging in an urban hospital setting. METHODS: Facial bone CT scans from 3708 consecutive patients were reviewed for the presence of NSP. Size of the perforation was measured in two dimensions. Medical records were reviewed for possible risk factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of NSP was 2.05%. The most common risk factor was a history of drug abuse. Cocaine was the most prevalent drug used. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of NSP was more than double of that previously published, likely related to intranasal drug use in our urban population.