A Clinical Study of Nasal Synechiae Causing by Closed Reduction for Nasal Bone Fractures

Choi, Hwan Jun; Lee, Yong Seok; Choi, Chang Yong; Tark, Min Sung

Abstract

PURPOSE: Several authors reported about the post- traumatic nasal aesthetic complications. However, the studies for functional or intra-nasal complications have been rarely reported. The aim of this study is to observe the incidence of intranasal synechia.
METHODS
We reviewed the data from 401 consecutive patients with nasal bone fracture from september 2006 to December 2007. We enforced evaluation with preoperative CT in all patients but postoperative CT within complicated patients. We classified the nasal bone fracture according to the anatomy and severity of fracture. Type I is nasal tip fracture(15%, n=59), Type II is simple lateral without septal injury(38%, n=152), Type III is simple lateral with septal injury(23%, n=92), Type IV is closed comminuted(20%, n=82), Type V is open comminuted or complicated(4%, n=16). We studied 98 patients with nasal bone fracture who had postoperative symptoms or underwent postoperative endoscopic evaluation. And then we evaluated the postoperative endoscopic finding and nasal synechal formation after operation.
RESULTS
The incidence of intranasal synechiae was 15%(n=62). According to the endoscopic findings, the incidence of intranasal synechiae was 10%(n=6) in Type I, 8%(n=12) in Type II, 16%(n=15) in Type III, 24%(n= 20) in Type IV, and 56%(n=9) in Type V, respectively. Additionally, the incidence of subjective nasal obstruction and olfactory dysfunction is 18%(n=72) and 13%(n= 51), while the incidence of symptomatic synechiae of nasal obstruction and olfactory dysfunction is 92%(57/ 62) and 55%(34/62).
CONCLUSION
We identified relatively high prevalence of nasal obstruction and olfactory dysfunction in nasal synechiae. Based on the results of this study, intranasal synechiae really caused airway obstruction(92%). Our data showed significant relationship between intranasal synechiae and severity of the fracture, because of increasing mucosal handling and destructive closed reductional procedures. First of all, education of delicate procedure regarding this subject should be empathized accordingly.