Nasal septal surgery as an out-patient procedure

Sixty consecutive patients (48 males, 12 females; age range 16 to 57, mean age 35 years) underwent nasal septal surgery at our out-patient department for symptoms of nasal obstruction. The operations were performed under local anaesthesia supplemented with 2.5-5 mg intravenous midazolam. Only one surgeon and one nurse were needed for the procedure. The total time spent at the hospital averaged three hours. The preliminary short-term results of surgery are comparable to those at our day-care unit. The complication rate was negligible. Ninety-five per cent of these patients regarded the arrangements for their operation as safe. Our results show that nasal septal surgery can be performed with good cost-effectiveness, satisfactory quality and with good safety and patient satisfaction as an out-patient procedure.