Comparing Postoperative Taping vs Customized 3D Splints for Managing Nasal Edema after Rhinoplasty

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Device Development

Background:

• Post-rhinoplasty swelling can obscure surgical outcomes and cause patient/surgeon distress.
• Three-dimensional (3D)-printed nasal splints were developed to mitigate edema via gentle compression.
• This study evaluates the efficacy of 3D-printed splints against traditional nasal taping for controlling postoperative swelling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of 3D-printed nasal splints versus traditional taping in reducing postoperative nasal edema after rhinoplasty.
• To quantify the reduction in nasal volume and edema over time in both treatment groups.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized study involving patients undergoing primary rhinoplasty.
• Patients were assigned to either traditional nasal taping (steri-strips) or 3D-printed splinting for 12 weeks.
• Nasal volume changes (total nose, dorsum, tip) were measured to assess edema reduction.

Main Results:

• Nasal taping resulted in volume reductions of 4.8% at 2 weeks to 10.6% at 1 year.
• 3D-printed splints showed volume reductions from 5.0% at 2 weeks to 15.1% at 1 year.
• 3D splints demonstrated significantly less overall nasal edema at 6 months and 1 year (P ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Customized 3D-printed nasal splints significantly reduce postoperative edema following rhinoplasty.
• The reduction in swelling is most pronounced at the 6-month and 1-year follow-up points.
• 3D-printed splints represent a promising clinical alternative to traditional taping for managing post-rhinoplasty swelling.