Publication:

Comparative study on the effect of various anterior nasal packing on ear compliance and ear canal volume

Background Anterior nasal packing (ANP) is a commonly used procedure by otorhinolaryngologist for the control of post-operative bleeding post septoplasty and nasal surgery. However there remains an ambiguity regarding the effect of various nasal packings on the Eustachian tube dysfunctions. The present study intends to compare and evaluate the effects of ribbon gauge nasal packing (RNP), merocel nasal packing (MNP) and merocel with airway packing (MAP) on the eustachian dysfunction such as changes in the compliance and ear canal volume.

Methods Ninety patients were selected for the study, and randomly divided into 3 groups of 30 patients each where the patients were treated with RNP, MNP and MAP. The pack was kept insitu for 48 hrs and the compliance and ear canal volume was measured at before pack is applied (pre pack), with ANP insitu at 48 hrs (with pack), and after removal of the nasal pack at 5th day (post pack).

Results The percentage of patients with abnormal compliance level as well as ear canal volume was found to be the highest among the patients in RNP group followed by patients from the MNP group. The least number of patients with abnormal compliance and ear canal volume was observed among the patients in the MAP groups.

Conclusions MAPs are better than ribbon gauge and MNPs in terms of maintaining the compliance level and ear canal volume.