Of 500 Saudi infants born at the Security Forces Hospital in Riyadh, 7.2% were found to have deviated nasal septum. Different fetal and maternal variables were tested for their influence on the incidence of congenital deviated septum, and duration of the second stage of labor was the only variable found to be significantly associated with septal deviation. Results showed that factors other than labor trauma could produce congenital deviated nasal septum (i.e., pregnancy factors).OA Hamid, Deviated Nasal Septum in Saudi Newborns. 1990; 10(3): 293-295 Deviated nasal septum could be due to traumatic or developmental causes. Since Metzenbaum1 first described deviated nasal septum in the newborn, trauma during labor has been recognized as a possible cause. The reported incidence of congenital deviated nasal septum varies. Metzenbaum1 reported 1%, Cottle et al,2 10%, and Alpini et al,3 6.3%. Gray4 discovered a slight degree of nasal septal deviation in 58% of all newborns studied. This variation could be attributed to different study design, but racial factors could also be involved. Because of this and as no such studies have been conducted in Arabs, we undertook to assess the incidence of deviated nasal septum in Saudi newborn babies, and to correlate it with fetal and maternal variables.
Subjects and MethodsFrom June 1988 to January 1989, 500 Saudi infants born at Security Forces Hospital were evaluated for septal deviation. They were examined by anterior rhinoscopy using an otoscope and Gray's method. 4 In the latter method, a 4-mm-wide and 2-mm-thick Silastic strut is inserted into each nostril after being lubricated. The strut is pushed along the floor of the nose, hugging the septum. Normally, the strut can be introduced for 4 to 5 cm but arrest of the strut at 1.5 to 2 cm indicates obstruction due to septal deviation.The medical records of all mothers and infants were examined for the following variables: parity, delivery route, instrumentation, fetal position, duration of second stage of labor, infant sex, and birth weight. The significance of these variables in relation to the occurrence of septal deviation was studied by the chi-square test and significance was defined at P ≤ 0.05.
ResultsOf the 500 neonates, 36 (7.2%) had septal deviation. Among the mothers, 110 were Primipara and 390 multipara, and septal deviation was found in 10% (N = 11) and 6.4% (N = 25) of their infants, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.2; X 2 = 1.65). Of 269 male infants, 19 (7.06%) showed septal deviation compared with 17 (7.36%) of 231 female infants. The sex of the infant was not significantly associated with septal deviation (P = 0.09: X 2 0.02). To assess the effect of birth weight on the incidence of deviated nasal septum, the infants were divided into three subgroups. Of 52 low-birth-weight babies (< 2.5 kg), four (7.69%) had septal deviation. Of 320 babies whose birth weight fell between 2.5 kg and 3.5 kg, 24 (7.5%) had deviated septums. In the high-birth-weight group (> 3.5 ...