NASAL SEPTAL SURGERY - IS ROUTINE FOLLOW-UP NECESSARY

An audit project was undertaken to appraise the outcome of 95 cases of septal surgery over a 12-month period, taking into account the subjec tive alteration of symptoms, appearances at anterior rhinoscopy and co mplications. Seventy-three patients (76.8 per cent) attended the follo w-up clinic three to six months (median four months) after surgery. Th ere was an improvement in short-term nasal breathing and in the clinic al appearance of the septum in 84.9 and 96.9 per cent respectively; a complication rate of 10.9 per cent and an overall satisfaction rate of 81.3 per cent were also noted. These results support those of other r eported series and suggest that routine follow-up of uncomplicated cas es of septal surgery is unnecessary.