Journal of Rhinology | 2021
Complications after Inadequate Treatment of Nasal Bone Fracture Combined with Septal Fracture: A Case Report
Abstract
The nose, being the most protruding anatomical feature on the face, accounts for the nasal bone fracture to be the most common type of facial bone fracture. Nasal bone fracture can be classified into different types, depending on the extent of the fracture. The type, which ultimately reflects the severity of the fracture, affects surgeons in choosing the surgical approach with the nasal bone reduction; a closed approach is recommended for simple types of fracture while an open approach is suggested for more severe types of fracture. Whether it be closed or open reduction, several complications may occur after the reduction of nasal bone fracture: nasal deformity, septal deviation, nasal obstruction, olfactory disturbance, and diplopia. Depending on the type and severity of the complication, a secondary surgery may be required to address the problem, and the rate of postreduction deformity undergoing subsequent septorhinoplasty was reported to range from 14% to 50%. Here, we describe a case in which a closed reduction of bilateral comminuted nasal bone fracture with septal fracture resulted in a saddle nose and a completely obstructed nasal cavity, calling for a secondary surgery of extracorporeal septoplasty. Furthermore, the importance of assessing and managing the septal fracture is discussed based on the literature.