The objective of this study is to compare the nasal packing and the transseptal suturing techniques regarding the extubation difficulty evaluation scores, follow-up times in post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU), pain scores, and postoperative complications. Two hundred patients who underwent septoplasty from January 2009 to October 2009 were randomly assigned either to have nasal packs (n: 100) or transeptal sutures (n: 100). In the transseptal suture group, extubation was easier and PACU follow-up times were shorter, when compared to the nasal packing group (p < 0.001). Patients with nasal packing had significantly higher pain scores (p < 0.001). Minor bleeding was significantly higher in the transseptal group with seven cases, compared to the nasal packing group without any bleeding cases (p = 0.014). There were two patients who had postoperative major bleeding, and two patients who had septal hematoma in the transseptal suture group. One patient with nasal packing had postoperative infection. Septal perforation was not seen in any of the cases. While patients in both groups experienced postoperative crusting, patients in the transseptal suture group also complained about foreign body sensation. Extubation was more comfortable; post-anaesthesia monitorization duration was shorter, and postoperative pain was less, but minor bleeding was seen more with transseptal sutures. There was no significant difference in terms of major bleeding, hematoma, infection or perforation. Foreign body sensation was the main cause of postoperative discomfort in the transseptal suture group. Transseptal suturing might be a significantly comfortable, cost-effective and reliable alternative to nasal packing.

Our study suggests that Ptx has a prophylactic effect on the radiation complications. This can be explained by protective effect of Ptx against vascular pathology.

Peritonsillar abscess is the most common deep infection of the head and neck that occurs in adults; the treatment of the disease remains controversial. A prospective study using a single high dose steroid treatment for peritonsillar abscess, was undertaken in 62 patients to determine the treatment's effectiveness in relieving symptoms such as fever, throat pain, dysphagia and trismus. All patients were randomly assigned to two groups: 28 patients received intravenous antibiotic therapy and a single dose placebo and 34 patients were treated with single use of high dose steroid in addition to intravenous antibiotic. Patients were hospitalized after needle aspiration and therefore their clinical courses and responses to therapy could be rigorously assessed. Comparison of clinical outcomes with respect to hours hospitalized, throat pain, fever, trismus were assessed between the two groups. Clinical outcomes revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.01), indicating that single use of high dose steroid prior to antibiotic therapy is more effective than the use of an antibiotic alone. These results suggest that single intravenous use of steroid in addition to antibiotic therapy is an excellent choice for the management of peritonsillar abscess.

The most important complications from tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are bleeding, stridor, and laryngospasm. This controlled, double-blind study was designed to investigate the effects of topical and intravenous lidocaine on stridor and laryngospasm. A total of 134 patients scheduled for elective tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy were randomly separated into four groups. In the topical lidocaine group 4 mg/kg of 2% lidocaine was applied to subglottic, glottic, and supraglottic areas before endotracheal intubation. Normal saline solution was used topically for the first control group. In the intravenous lidocaine group, patients were given 1 mg/kg of 2% lidocaine before extubation, and the same amount of 0.9% NaCl was given to the second control group. Postoperative stridor, laryngospasm, cyanosis, bleeding, sedation degree, and respiratory depression were observed, and plasma lidocaine levels were measured. Both topical and intravenous lidocaine groups revealed less stridor and laryngospasm than the control groups, and no difference was found between the topical and intravenous lidocaine groups except the higher sedation scores in the early postoperative period for the intravenous lidocaine group.

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