Common Causes of Failed Septoplasty: A Systematic Review

Failed septal correction is an undesirable outcome of primary septoplasty. In this systematic review, we aimed to assess all current studies concerning septoplasty failure, with a view to identifying its common causes. A systematic literature search was conducted by screening the PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for studies that assessed septoplasty failure and were published between January 2008 and January 2021. Three authors independently extracted information from each study and examined all included articles for bias. Four articles provided pertinent data regarding septoplasty failure. We gathered that missed nasal valve abnormality diagnosis, insufficient separation and resection of the bony-cartilaginous junction, and insufficient correction of caudal septal deviation could cause septoplasty failure. Additionally, iatrogenic problems, nasal asymmetry, and side-wall concavity involving the nasofrontal and columellar labial angles are contributing factors. Determining the cause of nasal blockage is challenging because it is subjective. Based on our findings, we concluded that in all patients with septal deviation, utmost care should be taken to avoid overlooking nasal valve abnormalities and other nasal diseases before conducting septoplasty. Moreover, inadequate correction of caudal septal deviation should be avoided. Furthermore, there is currently no widely accepted classification system for septal abnormalities to measure and describe septal deviation characteristics, making surgical planning and documentation difficult. Hence, further research that would lead to the creation of such a classification system is warranted.