Nasal packing and nocturnal oxygen desaturation.

Nasal obstruction influences respiration during sleep, and nasal packing may be the cause of obstructive sleep apnoea. In order to investigate this phenomenon, perioperative nocturnal oxygen saturation was monitored for 3 nights with continuous, non-invasive pulse oximetry in 12 patients who had total nasal packs after septoplasty. Significant extension of nocturnal accumulated time of oxygen saturation less than 90% was demonstrated both during the first and second postoperative nights. The clinical significance of these results is as yet unknown, but the use of partial nasal packing in association with septoplasty is advocated and further investigations on nocturnal oxygen saturation are called for.