A clinical study on the nasal bone fracture, focused on the patient's satisfaction following treatment

Kim, Yong Kwan

Abstract

Because of the special anatomic characteristics of nasal bone, which are the most prominant shape in facial skeleton and a bony structure positioned in central area of the face, the postoperative complication as well as the incidence of nasal bone fracture is on an increasing trend. There are several considerable factors in postoperative evaluation. Especially, the patient's satisfaction following treatment of fractured nasal bone is as important as any other clinical results evaluated by the operator. So the author analysed the clinical results of the patients who underwent operation for fractured nasal bone in Kwandong university Myong ji hospital from April of 2002 to August of 2003 and were followed up for more than 3months and the evaluation of patient satisfaction was made in priority. The obtained results were as follows; 1. Male to female ratio was 5:1. 2. The most frequent age, season, cause, clinical classification of nasal bone fracture, site of combined injury and clinical feature were fifth decade, summer, slip or fall down, simple fracture, facial laceration and painful swelling. 3. The number of rediagnosed nasal bone fractures confirmed by CT was 8 (19.1%). 4. The average period of splinting was 7 days. 5. The average period from injury time to operation time was 5 days. 6. The main complications were abnormal sensation (3 cases) and secondary infection (1case). 7. The number of patient's dissatisfaction was 11 (26.2%). 8. The age and cause frequency of patient's dissatisfaction was the highest in 3rd decade(60%) and violence (50%). 9. An occasion of the treatment performed since more than 8 days after injury, the rate of patient's dissatisfaction was the highest (75%). 10. In case of nasal bone fracture with septal fracture, the rate of dissatisfaction was the highest (80%).