[The influence of modified barbed suture without packing on the recovery of nasal mucosa and ventilation function and mental and psychological state after nasal septum correction surgery].

Objective

To investigate the effects of barbed suture closure of septoplasty incisions without routine nasal packing on nasal mucosal healing, ventilation function, and postoperative comfort-related outcomes, including pain, emotional status, and sleep quality.

Methods

A total of 120 patients with nasal septal deviation admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of the Second People's Hospital of Huai'an from June 2022 to June 2024 were selected and divided into a control group and an observation group, with 60 patients in each group. Patients in the control group underwent conventional septoplasty followed by nasal packing with expandable sponges, while patients in the observation group received modified barbed suture closure of the septal mucosa without nasal packing. Postoperative pain intensity, assessed by visual analogue scale（VAS）, emotional status, assessed by self-rating anxiety scale（SAS） and self-rating depression scale（SDS）, sleep quality, assessed by Pittsburgh sleep quality index（PSQI）, complication rate, nasal ventilation function parameters, and nasal endoscopic mucosal healing were compared between the two groups.

Results

The VAS, SAS, SDS, and PSQI scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group at most postoperative time points. The complication rate in the observation group was 10.0%, which was lower than 28.3% in the control group（χ²=6.857, P=0.009）. At 3 days, 7 days, and 1 month after surgery, the nasal minimal cross-sectional area（NMCA） and nasal cavity volume（NCV） in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, while nasal resistance was lower than that in the control group, with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）. The excellent-to-good mucosal healing rates in the observation group at 3 days, 7 days, and 1 month after surgery were 70.0%, 83.3%, and 93.3%, respectively, which were higher than 38.3%, 58.3%, and 83.3% in the control group.

Conclusion

Barbed suture closure of septoplasty incisions without routine nasal packing can reduce postoperative packing-related discomfort and pain, improve sleep quality and emotional status, and, to some extent, reduce the incidence of complications, thereby promoting nasal mucosal healing and recovery of nasal ventilation function.