Introduction: Insertion of intranasal splints (INSs) after septal surgery with or without turbinate surgery can cause significant pain and discomfort. Up till now there is no evidence about the accepted optimal time for INSs removal.
Aim of work: To investigate the optimal time for intranasal splints removal in patients undergoing septal surgery.
Method: A prospective randomized clinical study was carried out in Benha University Hospital from April 2018 to February 2019. It included 60 patients who underwent
septoplasty with or without turbenoplasty. All patients who were splinted by silicone nasal splint bilaterally. Patients were allocated into three groups (A, B and C) according to the time of splint removal (3, 5 and 7 days respectively). The three groups were compared regarding the bleeding, pain, infection, septal hematoma, septal perforation, crustation and adhesions.
Results: Median pain score was significantly higher in-group C than group A (P value = 0.031). Median pain score was significantly higher in-group C than group B (P value = 0.045). Adhesions showed non-statistical significant difference between three groups (P value = 0.766). Crustations showed non-statistical significant difference between three groups (P value = 0.863). Bleeding showed non-statistical significant difference between three groups (P value = 0.863). Infection showed non-statistical significant difference between three groups (P value = 0.766). No septal perforation or hematoma was recorded.
Conclusion: Early removal of INSs significantly affects patient's comfort and decreases pain. However incidence of other postoperative complications increased with short splint duration but it was statistically in significant. So we recommend INSs removal after 5 days as an optimal removal time.