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 subjective alteration of symptoms, appearances at anterior rhinoscopy and complications. Seventy-three patients (76.8 per cent) attended the follow-up clinic three to six months (median four months) after surgery. There was an improvement in short-term nasal breathing and in the clinical 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 reported series and suggest that routine follow-up of uncomplicated cases of septal surgery is unnecessary.