Bone remodeling after conservative treatment of nasal bone fracture in pediatric patients

The standard treatment of nasal bone fractures in pediatric patients is closed reduction. Conservative treatment is sometimes performed, but poses a risk of nasal deformity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of bone remodeling in pediatric nasal fractures.

Information was extracted from the medical records of patients under 12 years of age who received conservative treatment for a nasal bone fracture and underwent follow-up computed tomography (CT) examinations. The initial fracture and its outcomes over time were graded as excellent, good, or fair according to the malalignment, displacement, or irregularity of the fractured segments. The outcomes of remodeling were evaluated through changes in the grade of the fracture between initial and subsequent CT scans.

The review identified 16 patients between March 2015 and December 2019. Their mean age was 6.2 years, and the average follow-up period was 4.9 months. Three of the five patients with a plane I frontal impact showed improved outcomes of remodeling from good to excellent, and the remaining two patients, improved from fair to good. Eight of the 11 patients with plane I lateral impacts showed improved outcomes, from good to excellent, while one patient, improved from fair to good, one patient, improved from fair to excellent, and one patient showed no interval changes.

In 15 of these 16 patients with non-severe fractures, the bony contour improved through remodeling, without surgical intervention. Therefore, we suggest that conservative treatment is a feasible option for mild pediatric nasal fractures.