Is it really necessary to stuff the nose with gauze after septoplasty? i have enough trouble tolerating a regular stuffed up nose. i'm constantly trying to blow to clear it. i know i can't blow my nose after septoplasty. i'm just not sure i'll be able to

If : If the septoplasty correction is being performed anteriorly packing can usually be avoided by using a running horizontal mattress suture technique to hold the mucosal flaps together. If work is being done posteriorly on the septum and one is concerned with bleeding, packing may be necessary. It is better to be packed while under anaesthesia than bleed post-operatively and be packed. While doyle splints (ones with holes in them) intuitively sound attractive, the reality is they frequently plug up and don't offer the level of breathing comfort you would want. In most cases packing is only left in place several days, and in the claustrophobic or anxious patient a short course of low dose valium or similar drug usually gets them through it.

Not : Not all surgeons pack the nose after septoplasty. I never pack it in my own practice. I very rarely use a small, thin septal splint that you can still breathe around.

You : You can ask your surgeon for septal stabilizers which come with breathing tubes, these are well tolerated by most. Good luck from nyc.