Objective usefulness of thin silastic septal splints after septal surgery

Background: Silastic splints have been used as effective tools for septal support, avoiding adhesion, and mucosal healing after septal surgery. Furthermore, although many surgeons insert septal splints, no well-designed trials exist to support their use. A randomized double-blinded controlled trial was performed. Methods: We recruited 40 subjects who had undergone septoplasty only without sinus surgery or turbinoplasty. A silastic septal splint was inserted in one side of the nasal cavity at the end of each septoplasty, with the other side serving as a control. The splint side and control side were randomly selected. Nasal discomfort score (10-point scale) and mucosa! status (grades 1-4) were surveyed in a blinded setting on postoperative days 7 and 14. Results: Forty of 83 subjects fulfilled the enrollment criteria. On the 7th postoperative day there was no significant difference in nasal discomfort between the splint and control sides (6.2 +/- 1.28 and 5.7 +/- 1.27, respectively; p = 0.116), but the mucosal status was better on the splint side than on the control side (1.5 +/- 0.51 and 2.5 +/- 0.85; p < 0.001). At 14 days postoperatively, the symptom score (2.7 +/- 1.06 versus 3.8 +/- 1.25; p < 0.001) and mucosal status (1.5 +/- 0.55 versus 1.9 +/- 0.68; p = 0.013) were significantly better on the splint side compared with the control side. Conclusion: Insertion of a silastic septal splint after septal surgery should be accepted as a routine procedure. (Am J Rhinol Allergy 25, 182-185, 2011; doi: 10.2500/ajra.2011.25.3584)