Usefulness of Indirect Open Reduction and External Fixation in Algorithm Oriented Treatment of Nasal Fracture

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To suggest the need of more aggressive reduction techniques than closed reduction (CR) technique in nasal fracture treatment, we identified the usefulness of algorithm oriented treatment of nasal fracture that includes indirect open reduction (IOR) and external fixation (EF) as well as the CR. METHODS: We compared the clinical course of the group A (n=128) where only the CR was performed regardless of the pattern of the nasal fracture and the group B (n=127) where algorithm oriented treatment including IOR and EF as well as CR was performed depending on the pattern of nasal fracture. And the degree of postoperative pain after CR and IOR technique was compared through the dose of analgesics and pain scores. RESULTS: More than 80% of patients were satisfied the result of reduction in both group A and B. Good contour of nasal bone after reduction was showed 71% of group A and 81% of group B without significant difference. Minor (p>0.05) and major (p<0.05) deformity after reduction were less occurred in the group B than group A. Postoperatively, the dose of analgesics was significantly lower after IOR technique than CR technique (53 mg vs. 142 mg) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Algorithm oriented treatment of nasal fracture including IOR and EF as well as CR reduce major deformity after reduction than treatment of CR alone. It is useful to perform the more aggressive reduction techniques such as IOR and EF according to the pattern of fracture in treatment of nasal fracture.