Nasal Septal Chain Suture: A New Suturing Technique

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Innovation
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Septoplasty is a common surgical procedure to correct nasal septum deviations.
• Post-operative management often involves nasal packing or sutures to support septal healing.
• Current methods like nasal packing can cause significant patient discomfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel nasal septal chain suture technique.
• To compare patient comfort and outcomes of the nasal septal chain suture with nasal packing and quilting sutures.
• To assess the efficacy of the new technique in improving post-septoplasty recovery.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 75 patients undergoing septoplasty.
• Patients were divided into three groups: Merocel nasal packing, absorbable quilting suture, and nonabsorbable nasal septal chain suture.
• Patient-reported outcomes were measured using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale and objective rhinomanometry.

Main Results:

• Nasal packing resulted in significantly higher NOSE scale scores on postoperative days 1 and 3.
• Suture groups demonstrated significantly lower nasal resistance and higher nasal airflow on postoperative day 3.
• Nasal packing significantly shortened surgery duration, but suture removal was associated with significantly less pain compared to packing removal.

Conclusions:

• Nasal septal sutures, including the novel chain suture, significantly enhance post-septoplasty patient comfort and facilitate earlier return to nasal respiration compared to nasal packing.
• The nasal septal chain suture presents a promising, pain-free alternative for post-septoplasty management.
• The technique's versatility with absorbable/nonabsorbable materials and ease of removal make it a viable option.