Drainage tube use for the reduction of postoperative ecchymosis in rhinoplasty

Abstract

Postoperative healing after rhinoplasty can have a negative impact on patient quality of life. In our study, we aimed to reduce postoperative edema and ecchymosis by applying a minidrain system. We evaluated this intervention's benefit on postoperative morbidity by observing the patient with left and right sides, intervention side and control side respectively. All surgeries were performed using a piezo device with an open technique septorhinoplasty. We only used a left-sided minidrain system through the osteotomy lines just in front of the piriform aperture for all patients with no other intervention on the right side of the same patient. Use of a drain on the left side was associated with a statistically significant decrease in ecchymosis at postoperative day 7 (P<0.05). We found that using a minidrain system through internal osteotomy lines was effective in reducing the amount of ecchymosis by day seven after surgery.