Intranasal endoscopic identification of the nasal septal L-strut: a cadaveric study.

Abstract

Preserving the L-shaped strut during septoplasty is a crucial step in the prevention of several types of postoperative nasal deformities. In this study, we aimed to identify the intranasal anatomic landmarks to establish reliable and feasible measurements to preserve an adequate L-strut during an endoscopic septoplasty. A prospective study was conducted on 20 cadaver heads. Three measurements were studied within each side of the nasal cavity. The dorsal strut (DS) was measured from the dorsal line to the septal dorsum edge. Then, the caudal strut was measured from 2 different landmarks: the axilla of the inferior turbinate (CSIT) and the pyriform aperture (CSP). We examined a total of 40 nasal cavities from 20 cadavers. The DS showed an average length of 15.1 mm (standard deviation [SD], 3.2 mm). The average lengths of the CSIT and CSP were 23.6 (SD, 3.6) mm and 19.4 (SD, 2.7) mm, respectively. Suggested landmarks to identify the dorsal and caudal struts in endoscopic septoplasty are the axilla of the middle turbinate and pyriform aperture bone, respectively. The utilization of the inferior turbinate axilla as a caudal strut landmark showed larger variability and would potentially leave excessive caudal cartilage that could be manipulated if deviated.