A comparative study on the effects of intranasal silicone splints and silastic sheets on breathing post septal surgeries

Background: Septoplasty is a surgical procedure to straighten the bone and cartilage dividing the space between your two nostrils (septum). If septoplasty is performed alone or as a part of a rhinoplasty procedure, internal nasal splints are generally used. 
Objective: To compare silicone nasal septal splints with integral airways and silastic sheets after septal surgery in terms of patient breathing (with the splint in place). 
Patients and Methods: This study involved 50 patients who underwent septal surgery in terms of septoplasty or septo-rhinoplasty due to nasal septal deviation. They were allocated into two groups. Group A comprised 25 patients who underwent septal surgery and were packed with silicone nasal septal splints. Group B comprised 25 patients who underwent septal surgery and were packed with silastic sheets. They were removed on the seventh postoperative day. Clinical efficacy was compared using visual assessment and patients' subjective breathing status. 
Results: The patients in both groups A and B had similar mean ages: 27.8 years (range, 18-51 years) and 25.84 years (range, 18-48 years) in Group A and Group B, respectively. The study included 58% males and 42% females. The tyspe of surgery were septoplasty and septorhinoplasty in 38% and 62%, respectively. Breathing status was significantly lower in Group A than in Group B at the 7th postoperative day (p<0.004). 
Conclusion: Intranasal septal splints with silastic sheets result in less nasal obstruction while in place; thus, they can be used as an effective alternative to silicone nasal splints with integral airways after septal surgery.