Packing and postoperative rhinoplasty management: a survey report

Postoperative management following rhinoplasty varies greatly among aesthetic surgeons. Few studies have addressed practice trends in postoperative rhinoplasty care or questioned the frequency of packing and splinting. Many conventional postoperative techniques remain controversial (eg, packing).

To investigate current postoperative practices in the United States, correlating the results with surgical education, practice type, and complication rates.

An online survey was distributed to members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Respondents were polled about their background, route of education, type of practice, frequency and preference of postoperative nasal care, and most frequent rhinoplasty complications. Statistical analysis was performed with the χ(2) test.

Of the 1550 total surveys sent, 126 responses were received (8.1%). The majority of respondents were in private practice (86%) and trained in plastic surgery (83%). Approximately 33% continue to regularly employ packing following rhinoplasty, but data show that surgeons performing 21 or more rhinoplasties per year were less likely to utilize packing (P = .06). Those surgeons with higher rhinoplasty case volumes were significantly more likely to utilize a secondary therapy (eg, steroids, arnica) in combination with ice packs (P = .03) to prevent postoperative ecchymosis. Finally, surgeons with lower rhinoplasty case volumes reported more frequent postoperative nasal tip deformities (P = .01).

Postoperative rhinoplasty care varies greatly among practicing aesthetic surgeons. Importantly, a high percentage of private practice aesthetic surgeons continue to utilize nasal packing following rhinoplasty. However, these numbers trend downward in surgeons who perform rhinoplasties more frequently.