ANTERIOR NASAL PACKING POST SUBMUCOUS RESECTION (SMR): A COMPARISON BETWEEN REMOVAL ON 1ST VERSUS 2ND POST OPERATIVE DAY

Objective: To evaluate the effect of removal of nasal packs after sub mucous resection (SMR) on the first post operative day versus second post operative day in terms of bleeding control and prevention of septal hematoma formation. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: ENT department, Combined Military Hospital Jhelum Pakistan, from Oct 2017 to Oct 2018. Methodology: Total 100 patients of both genders, ages from 16 to 35 years with a deviated nasal septum were included. Written informed consent was taken and hospital ethical committee approval was obtained. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of 50 patients each by simple random sampling. Patients in both groups underwent submucous resection. Patients in whom sub mucous resection was combined with other procedures like rhinoplasty, turbinectomy, polypectomy were excluded. In group A the nasal packs were removed on the first post operative day. In group B the nasal packs were removed on the second post operative day. Nasal packing in all patients was done with vaseline gauze rolls. The groups were compared for bleeding at the time of nasal pack removal and septal hematoma formation in the follow up period. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of bleeding (p-value 0.40) and septal hematoma formation (p-value 0.49). Conclusion: After sub mucous resection, removal of nasal packs on 1st versus 2nd post operative day is not associated with any significant difference in bleeding and septal hematoma formation