Abstract
Several studies have investigated the effects of septoplasty on facial growth in children, with conflicting results. However, just handful of those employed objective measures or evaluated patients after facial growth completion. ObjectiveThis study assesses the effects of the Metzenbaum septoplasty, which preserves the perichondrium and growth-related areas on nasal and facial growth in children. MethodWe included those children submitted to surgery before the age of 14 and who had 16 years or years of follow up. Sixteen patients were selected. We evaluated the following parameters: clinical satisfaction (nasal patency and aesthetics), anthropometric measurements and cephalometry. Scientific design: cross-sectional historical cohort. ResultsThe mean age at surgery was 13 years, children were assessed on average 4.3 years after surgery. Only one patient had anthropometric and cephalometric values below normal, but no aesthetics or patency complaints. Four other patients complained about their nasal aesthetics and three had patency complaints. ConclusionThe Metzenbaum septoplasty appears to be a safe technique to correct caudal septum deviations. This technique had no significant impact on facial growth of the patients assessed.
Highlights
The surgical treatment of obstructive septal deformity in children and the time to perform surgical correction are still controversial issues
The Metzenbaum septoplasty appears to be a safe technique to correct caudal septum deviations. This technique had no significant impact on facial growth of the patients assessed
Several surgical techniques for septal deformity correction have been described in the literature[6,7,8], all aiming at preserving as much as possible of the nasal growth areas and the mucoperichondrium, which seem to have a critical role in septal and nasal growth[9]
Summary
The surgical treatment of obstructive septal deformity in children and the time to perform surgical correction are still controversial issues. It is known that caudal septal defects are a major cause of chronic nasal obstruction in children[4], having the nasal trauma during birth as the most frequent cause, which prevalence ranges from 0.5 to 25%. Since such area is weakened, there is a tendency for the deviation to worsen with the subsequent facial growth[5]. Several surgical techniques for septal deformity correction have been described in the literature[6,7,8], all aiming at preserving as much as possible of the nasal growth areas and the mucoperichondrium, which seem to have a critical role in septal and nasal growth[9]
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