Does airway integrated nasal packing after septal surgery improve body oxygenation?

Abstract

Background: Airway integrated nasal packing reportedly improves body oxygenation after septal surgery. This randomized controlled study examined the effect of airway integrated nasal packing on oxygen saturation. Methods: Eighty patients with septal deviation and hypertrophic turbinate were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 patients were postoperatively packed with airway integrated Nasopore, and Group 2 patients were postoperatively packed with Nasopore without airway integration. The haemodynamic parameters and SpO2 (oxyhemoglobin saturation levels when measured using pulse oximetry) were sequentially checked. Nasal pain sensations were recorded using a visual analog scale. Results: SpO2 was not significantly different between Groups 1 and 2. Nasal pain levels were significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 at both 4 (p = 0.034) and 6 (p = 0.001) hours postoperatively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidences of septal haematoma, perforation, or bleeding, or in sequentially checked heart rate, mean blood pressure, or respiration rate. Conclusion: It was not evident that integrated airways improved the reduction of SpO2. However, Group 1 patients, with integrated airways, had more pain than did Group 2 patients, without integrated airways. Evidence level: 1b.

Comparison of complete nasal packing with and without integrated airways

“…Interestingly, Yu et al, in their study revealed notable differences in postoperative pain reduction between the two groups. 15 Patients in Group-2, who received Nasopore packing without an integrated airway, reported lower pain scores compared to Group-1 patients, who received Nasopore packing with an integrated airway. This discrepancy suggests that the presence of the integrated airway may have compromised the softness of the packing material.…”

“…Similar results were found in another study, the average SpO 2 (arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation when measured using pulse oximetry) levels were significantly reduced in 33% of the patients that slept with nasal packing without an integrated airway but were within normal limits for all patients with airway integrated nasal packing. 16 Conversely, the other study 15 found that SpO 2 was not significantly different in patients who have undergone septoplasty with nasal packing with and without airway integration.…”

“…Nasal packing is commonly used in ENT surgeries to control bleeding and stabilize the nasal structure. However, there is limited evidence and conflicting findings regarding the necessity and benefits of nasal packing after septoplasty [14][15][16][17][18][19] . The study found that patients who underwent septoplasty with nasal packing without an integrated airway reported lower pain scores at the 2nd and 12th-hour postoperatively compared to those who received nasal packing with an integrated airway.…”