Nasal packing is one of the common procedures done following various intranasal surgeries in order to prevent the various complications that can arise post-operatively. Some of the complications noted include bleeding from the nose, septal hematoma, septal abscess and formation of mucosal adhesions. There are different types of nasal packing materials available. Few of the commonly used nasal packing material are ribbon gauzes impregnated with antibiotics, merocel, gel foam, glove fingers and Vaseline gauze. This study compared the effectiveness of Merocel nasal packing with Glove finger nasal packing after Septoplasty and Polypectomy. Merocel, a widely used expandable non-absorbable material, was compared with conventional ribbon gauze packs inserted into glove fingers. Results showed no significant differences in post-operative bleeding, pain, discomfort, mucociliary clearance, or late complications between the two groups. However, a slightly earlier return of mucociliary clearance in patients packed with Glove finger nasal packs was observed. Therefore, it can be concluded that both Merocel and Glove finger nasal packs are equally effective in managing post-operative complications following these procedures.
Keywords: Finger glove nasal packing; Functional endoscopic sinus surgery; Merocel packing; Septoplasty; Septorhinoplasty.
© Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.