A Study on Septoplasty and Functional Septorhinoplasty in Children

Surgical techniques that are safe and effective in adults can produce bad results in children. The study was done To present the results of septoplasty and functional septorhinoplasty (FSR) in children in order to restore the anatomy and function of the nose. In a prospective study done in a tertiary care hospital between May, 2016 and November, 2022, twenty-five children (14 males and 11 females) aged 8 to 14 years having significant nasal obstruction due to deviated septum with or without external nasal deviation were included in this study. Septoplasty was done in 16 patients and FSR was done in 9 patients by endonasal technique. Surgical outcomes were evaluated by comparing preoperative and postoperative photographs, NOSE scores, anterior rhinoscopy and subjective satisfaction. The follow-up period ranged from 15 to 90 months with a mean follow-up period of 43 months. Out of the 25 patients, the mean NOSE scores preoperatively and postoperatively were 72 and 22 (a significant improvement of mean 50.00 with p-value of < 0.05). Anterior rhinoscopy postoperatively showed that 19 patients (76%) had a straight septum while 6 patients (24%) had some residual deviation. Subjective patient satisfaction was "much improved" in 13 (52%) patients, and "improved" in 12 (48%) patients. In photographic evaluation of 9 patients with external nasal deviation the result was very good in 3, good in 5 and average in 1 patient. Septoplasty and FSR in children resulted in significant improvements in nasal airway and external nasal deviation.