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Updated: Oct 8, 2025
Endoscopic Septoplasty with Limited Two-line Resection: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Septal Deviation
Published on: June 20, 2018
Pediatric nasal septoplasty outcomes
Ryan Bishop1, Rishabh Sethia2, David Allen1
1The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA.
Insights
Pediatric septoplasty is safe for children under 14, with no increased complication rates compared to older patients. While younger children may need revision surgery more often, nasal surgery does not disrupt growth centers.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Rhinology
Background:
- Nasal septoplasty in children historically avoided due to growth center concerns.
- Limited data exists on pediatric septoplasty complications and revision rates.
- This study addresses the paucity of evidence regarding long-term outcomes in pediatric septoplasty.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review long-term outcomes of pediatric nasal septoplasty.
- To compare outcomes between pediatric patients under 14 and those 14 and older.
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of septoplasty in young children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 194 pediatric patients (0-18 years) undergoing septoplasty.
- Comparison of outcomes between patients <14 years and those ≥14 years.
- Data collected on demographics, surgery, complications, and revision rates.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in complication rates between younger (<14) and older (≥14) pediatric septoplasty patients.
- Revision septoplasty was more frequent in the younger pediatric group.
- Mean age was 10.6 years for the younger group and 15.9 years for the older group.
Conclusions:
- This is the largest retrospective study on pediatric septoplasty outcomes.
- Evidence supports the use of nasal septoplasty in very young pediatric patients.
- Further research is needed to validate septoplasty in the pediatric population.
Background:
Corrective nasal surgery has historically been avoided in the pediatric population out of concerns surrounding the potential disruption of nasal growth centers. There is a paucity of data on the rate of complications or revision surgery following septoplasty in this population. As such, the purpose of this study is to review the long-term outcomes of a large cohort of children who underwent nasal septoplasty and to compare outcomes of septoplasty patients under the age of 14 to those 14 years and older.
Methods:
A retrospective review was performed on all patients who received nasal septoplasty at our tertiary care pediatric referral center between October 2009 and September 2016. All patients who underwent septoplasty for a deviated nasal septum and were 0-18 years of age at the time of surgery were included in this analysis. Outcomes were compared between patients under the age of 14 to those 14 years and older. Demographic, surgical, and follow-up data were collected including complications and the need for revision surgery.
Results:
A total of 194 pediatric patients were identified as meeting inclusion criteria for the study. Mean age for the total cohort was 14.6 years (0-18 years), with a mean of 15.9 years in the older group and 10.6 years in the younger group. Revision septoplasty was performed more frequently in the younger group. However, no significant difference in the rate of complications was seen between the two groups.
Conclusions:
To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest retrospective study examining outcomes following septoplasty in pediatric patients. We also specifically examine outcomes of very young septoplasty patients, a population for which limited evidence exists. Further retrospective studies are needed to validate the use of nasal septoplasty in the pediatric population.
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