[CT analysis of classification of external nasal fracture and the influence of fractured position to nasal septum].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the classification and distribution of external nasal fracture, and its influence to the nasal septum.

METHOD

We randomly chose 60 patients who received nasal CT scan because of nasal trauma and diagnosed as external nasal fracture. We reviewed their CT data in PACS system with computer.

RESULT

Of the 60 cases of nasal trauma, 90 sides got external nasal fracture, among which 58 sides (64.4%) had only nasal bone fracture, 16 sides (17.8%) had only maxillary frontal process fracture, and 16 sides (17.8%) had both. Half of these 60 patients got unilateral external nasal fracture, among whom 14 patients (46.7%) had traumatic nasal septum deviation meanwhile. The other 30 patients suffered from bilateral external nasal fracture, among whom 26 patients (86.7%) had traumatic nasal septum deviation. The difference between these two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Moreover, 24 patients got fracture of either nasal bone or maxillary frontal process, 11 of whom (45.8%) got traumatic nasal septum deviation at the same time. The other 36 patients suffered fracture of both these two bones, 29 of whom (80.6%) had traumatic nasal septum deviation. The difference between these two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). We classified the nasal bone fracture as below: 16 patients with only unilateral external nasal fracture belonged to Type I, of whom 15 patients (25.0%) were type Ia with nasal bone or maxillary frontal process fracture and 1 patient (1.7%) fell into type Ib with fracture occurred on both of these two bones at the same side. Four patients suffered bilateral external nasal fracture belonged to type II, among whom 2 patients (3.3%) belonged to type IIa with nasal bone or maxillary frontal process fracture and 2 patients fell into type IIb with fracture of both of these two bones at different sides. The other 40 patients (66.7%) belonged to Tpye III, who suffered external nasal fracture accompanied with traumatic nasal septum deviation.

CONCLUSION

Traumatic nasal septum deviation was extremely concomitant in patients with external nasal fracture. It will be better to perform external nasal reconstructive surgery and plasty of nasal septum deviation by using the endoscope within 1 month for the patients whose symptom were serious or who cared a lot about the appearance.