Repair of Nasal Septal Perforation Using Silastic Sheet

Choi, Yoon Seok; Jang, Tae Young; Kim, Bo Mook; Choi, Jung Seok; Kim, Min Wook

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In general, for surgical treatment of septal perforation, a suture repair method is necessary for at least unilateral intranasal mucosal flap with the interposition of a connective tissue graft. However, autologous graft material is sometimes insufficient when septal perforation repair is combined with other surgery such as rhinoplasty. The aims of this study were to introduce a new repair technique of septal perforation using silastic sheet and to assess the usefulness of the new method.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Between March 2003 and September 2004, 5 patients underwent septal perforation repair using silastic sheet with open rhinoplasty at the same time. Size and causes of septal perforation, symptoms, and complication were evaluated by endoscopic examination and questionnaires pre- and postoperatively.
RESULTS
The causes of septal perforation were previous septoplasty (3 cases), syphilis (1 case) and unknown (1 case). Preoperative symptoms including nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, epistaxis and dryness were all improved postoperatively. The perforations of all patients were 1.0 cm sized or more in diameter. Four of five patients (80%) achieved complete closure and one patient had an incomplete closure after a mean follow up of 16 months.
CONCLUSION
The repair of septal perforation using silastic sheets is a very useful technique when the size of septal perforation is more than 1 cm large in diameter or when the autograft material is insufficient.