Septal plasty in children: influence on nasal growth.

The results of a septoplasty because of a nasal obstruction were studied in 261 children, their ages ranging from 4 to 14. No arrest of nasal growth after the septoplasty and osteotomies was recorded. Histological examination revealed a cartilaginous regeneration at the borders of the resected septal cartilage in 15 cases in which a second rhinoplasty was necessary because of a new nasal obstruction. Often the cartilaginous growth was undirected and excessive leading to a new septal deviation. In 80 per cent of our cases good functional long-term results were obtained by one rhinoplasty only which was performed according to the techniques of Cottle and Masing.