Twenty-five years experience with extracorporeal septoplasty

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Plastic Surgery
• Rhinology

Background:

• Severe nasal septum deformities pose significant surgical challenges.
• These deformities often result from trauma or congenital conditions like cleft lip and palate.
• Standard septoplasty techniques are insufficient for correcting extensive septal malformations causing airway obstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of extracorporeal septoplasty for severe nasal septum deformities.
• To present refinements in extracorporeal septoplasty techniques, focusing on septal fixation and dorsal reconstruction.
• To assess the long-term outcomes and revision rates of this surgical approach.

Main Methods:

• Extracorporeal septoplasty involves complete septum removal, reconstruction using various techniques, and subsequent reimplantation.
• The study analyzed data from 2301 patients operated on between January 1, 1981, and December 31, 2005.
• Continuous method refinement focused on secure septal fixation and reconstruction of the cartilaginous dorsum.

Main Results:

• The study included 2301 patients with severe nasal septum deformities.
• Refined techniques led to safe septal fixation and successful reconstruction of the cartilaginous dorsum.
• Follow-up revealed low revision rates of 5% and 7% for severe deformities.

Conclusions:

• Extracorporeal septoplasty is a highly effective treatment for severe nasal septum deformities.
• The refined technique offers reliable outcomes with low revision rates.
• This approach is recommended for surgeons, including those with less experience in rhinosurgery.