Quilting sutures compared with sponge packing in septolplasty and turbinoplasty

There is a lack of consensus regarding the need for nasal packing after a septoplasty. The use of nasal packing has been proposed to reduce bleeding, synechiae and haematomas. Despite these advantages evidence is scant to support postoperative packing. Furthermore, packing is not an innocuous procedure and can cause complications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of quilting sutures compared with sponge nasal packing on haemostasis, haematomas and wound healing following septoplasty. Seventy-six patients with nasal septum deviation requiring septoplasty and turbinoplasy with radiofrequency were included. Following surgery, fifty patients were selected randomly for septoplasty with one quilting suture. And twenty-six patients had sponge nasal packing. Haemostatic properties, formation of haematomas, formation of synechiae, the patients' pain and bleeding on removal of the packing were evaluated. Both techniques were equally effective in the control of postoperative bleeding, haematoma and synechiae formation following septoplasty. Sponge packing was associated with significant pain and bleeding on removal. The use of quilting sutures like sponge packing is efficient in controlling bleeding, synechiae and haematomas after septoplasty and turbinoplasty.