What exactly is nasal packing? Is it always required?

Question:
What exactly is nasal packing? Is it always required and for how long?

Answer:
Nasal packing is what is used following nasal surgery such as septoplasty and/or rhinoplasty. The purpose of the nasal packing is to prevent bleeding post operatively and at times, to maintain the position of the bone for a few days if nasal bone fractures were performed during rhinoplasty. Nasal packing is not always used and I rarely use nasal packing in septoplasty or rhinoplasty. I have not only found that the nasal packing is not necessarily helpful and it can be quite uncomfortable for the patient. I do use intranasal splints or septal suturing if a septoplasty is performed and these splints also serve to support the nasal bones in the case of rhinoplasty. The patient is able to breath through the splints following rhinoplasty for increased comfort.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld