José Antônio Patrocínio*, Carla Miti Watanabe**, Lucas Gomes Patrocínio**.
Key words:
inferior turbinate, nasal packing, turbinectomy.
Abstract:
Introduction: Partial inferior bilateral turbinectomy (PIT) is a common procedure accomplished by otolaryngologists. Nasal packing is often a post-operative inconvenience for the patient. In attempt to enhance postoperative comfort, a plastic splint was idealized to promote an acceptable nasal breath during the first day after surgery and control nasal bleeding.
Objective: Describe a new method for nasal packing after PIT.
Methods: The splint was obtained from plastic material and prepared at the moment of the surgery. It has a pentagonal form measuring 7 cm length and 4 cm width. Its posterior portion has a funnel form and the other side has rounded rim to preserve and avoid traumatism in nasal mucosa. The splint presents a horseshoe form when introduced in nasal cavity, with its concavity upward.
Results: Nasal splint was utilized in one hundred patients. In 5 (5%) patients, traditional nasal packing was necessary due to nasal bleeding. The majority of the patients reported mild discomfort with nasal splint in immediate post-operative.
Conclusions: This method for nasal packing after PIT has a satisfatory result. We stimulate its use in randomized controlled trials to evaluate its efficacy, safety, and tolerability.