Quick septoplasty: surgical technique and learning curve

The importance and technical difficulties of septal surgery often are underestimated. Although septoplasty is among the most common procedures in nasal surgery, it is poorly taught and developed.

Septoplasty was performed for 1,035 consecutive white patients (789 males and 246 females) with a mean age of 35.7 years (range, 6-62 years) using a new personal surgical technique. Septal surgery was associated with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) in 157 cases and rhinoplasty in 416 cases. Preoperative otorhinolaryngologic examination using flexible nasal endoscopy,anterior active rhinometry (AAR), and occasional computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses was performed.Postoperative AAR was carried out. Septoplasty operative time was measured.

A significant reduction in nasal breathing resistances with respect to preoperative conditions was found in 1,017 patients (98%) after AAR (p\0.001). No septal perforation, nasal infection, or bleeding was noticed postoperatively.Three cases of turbino septal synechiae were observed. The mean septoplasty operative time was 13.83 ± 4.22 min (range, 8-31 min). A short learning curve (20 septoplasty procedures) for this new septoplasty technique was found.

The proposed septoplasty technique is an effective and rapid procedure for the correction of septal deviations in both adults and children. Reproducible and easily learned, this technique can be associated with other surgical procedures such as FESS and rhinoplasty.