Surgical closure of nasal septal perforation. Early and long term observations

Results of surgical treatment of nasal septal perforation are usually evaluated using closure of the perforation as criterion of success. Patients, however, may still have symptoms.

To assess the long-term results of surgical treatment of nasal septal perforation with bilateral, posterior based mucoperichondrial septal flaps using a four-point symptom score to ultimately improve treatment and selection criteria.

Patients were seen 6 months postoperatively. Questionnaires were sent to 116 surviving patients in 2008-2009. The response was 104. Patients reporting moderate or severe symptoms were seen as outpatients.

Between 1987 and 2004, 126 patients were surgically treated using posterior based bilateral mucoperichondrial septal flaps. Sixteen patients had a reperforation during the first 3 months, and another 3 several years later. There was no correlation between early outcome and diagnosis, preoperative size of the perforation, gender or severity of preoperative crusting. There was an increased rate of reperforation with increasing age. Complications seen at the 6 months` follow-up of patients with closed perforations were lachrymal duct stenosis, partial vestibular stenosis, hypoesthesia, crusting and septal deviation, most of which were treatable. Long-term observation mean 10 years) of the same patients showed the following moderate or severe symptoms: crusting, obstruction and bleeding, mainly in men. Obstruction was often due to various forms of perennial rhinitis, sometimes to crusting and more rarely to septal deviation. Crusting was the only independent symptom. There was no correlation between crusting and diagnosis, preoperative size of the perforation, age or severity of preoperative crusting.

Results of the surgical technique using posterior based bilateral mucoperichondrial septal flaps for treatment of nasal septal perforations were good, but depend on surgical expertise and age of the patient. Long-term results from other studies will be a guide to choose the proper surgical procedure to minimize the number of late symptoms. Prosthetic treatment cans be an alternative. Patients with return of symptoms should seek further advice.