Information obtained from the case-records and completed questionnaires from 478 patients operated in the 5-year-period 1980 through 1984 with either septoplasty or submucous resection (SMR), has been analysed on an average 31 months after surgery. Two hundred (42 per cent) underwent SMR and 278 (58 per cent) septoplasty. Twenty per cent presented for a clinical follow-up examination. Of the 478 patients, 63 per cent were satisfied. More patients were satisfied with the functional results after septoplasty, which also resulted in fewer and smaller perforations than SMR. Septoplasty ought to replace the latter as the routine procedure. 10 per cent had troublesome crusting independent of the technique used. Change in the external shape of the nose is a minor problem for the patients, and was not regarded as an indication for re-operation. Patients with allergic rhinitis may undergo septal surgery on general lines. - IntroductionThe submucous resection operation (SMR), as we understand and perform it today, was first described by Freer (1902) and by Killian (1904). They both, independently, recommended visualization of septal cartilage and bone, while preserving the overlying mucosa. The mucosa was allowed to fall into median apposition after the framework that held it off-centre had been carefully removed. The principle of saving a dorsal cartilaginous strut was established to avoid collapse of the supratip (Freer, 1902), while Killian also preserved a caudal strut (1904).The septoplasty operation was introduced approximately half a century later (Cottle and Loring, 1946;Goldman, 1956;Cottle, 1960), and has been subsequently modified on numerous occasions. The sine qua non of all methods is the conservation and relocation of septal supporting tissues. Septoplasty has to a large extent replaced SMR as the routine technique without solving all the problems of this type of surgery. Several studies in the literature reveal that 25-35 per cent of patients do not achieve a satisfactory result (Sloth and K0lendorf, 1976;Peacock, 1981;Stoksted and Gutierrez, 1983; Dommerby etal., 1985). We have therefore examined retrospectively the results of five years of septum operations at our institution.