Nasal septoplasty is a common ENT and plastic surgery procedure performed to correct a deviated septum and improve nasal breathing. Postoperative care is essential to arrest hemorrhage, reduce pain and prevent complications. Conventional nasal packing methods often cause discomfort, pain and bleeding particularly during removal.1 To address this, absorbable materials such as SURGISPON® gelatin sponge provide a gentler alternative.
To better understand how recovery can be improved, let us first explore why nasal packing is important after septoplasty.

Why is nasal packing important after septoplasty?

Nasal packing plays a key role in supporting healing and preventing postoperative complications.2,3

Since nasal packing plays such an important role, let’s take a closer look at the material used and how it supports safe and comfortable healing.

What is SURGISPON^® ENT?

SURGISPON^® ENT is an absorbable haemostatic gelatin sponge designed for ENT surgeries to control bleeding and to support vital tissue structures, enhancing patient comfort. It is available in multiple forms including Standard, Cube, Sheet, Strip, and Tampon.

Fig. 1: SURGISPON^® ENT Absorbable Haemostatic Gelatin Sponge

With a better understanding of what SURGISPON^® is, let’s look at the practical benefits it offers for both patients and surgeons.

What are the key benefits of using SURGISPON^® gelatin sponge for nasal packing?

SURGISPON^® ENT provides efficient bleeding control while promoting comfortable and smooth healing.

These benefits make recovery smoother and safer for patients, with clinical studies supporting the use of gelatin sponge in this surgery.

Clinical Evidence
A multicenter, randomized study with 76 septoplasty patients compared gelatin sponge and polyvinyl acetate packs in the same patients.³

Fig. 2. Endoscopic view of the nasal cavity after septoplasty with silastic septal splints on both sides. The right side was packed with gelatin sponge (A) and the left with polyvinyl acetate (B). Inset: Cutanplast Anal^® (gelatin sponge). IT: inferior turbinate; SS: silastic splint.³

The findings are summarized below:
Gelatin sponge and Polyvinyl acetate packs³

• Patient Comfort: Gelatin sponge caused less nasal obstruction and discomfort (p < 0.001)
• Pain on Removal: Significantly lower with gelatin sponge (p < 0.001)
• Haemostasis after removal: Gelatin sponge achieved significantly faster haemostasis after removal compared with polyvinyl acetate packs (p<0.001)
• Degree of bleeding on removal: Bleeding after pack removal was significantly lower in Gelatin sponge than Polyvinyl acetate pack (p < 0.001)
• Cost of pack: Gelatin sponge is comparable in cost to polyvinyl acetate packs, making it a cost-effective alternative.

Conclusion

The use of SURGISPON^® as a nasal packing material that provides rapid hemostasis, enhances patient comfort, reduces postoperative adhesions and supports tissue healing, making it a reliable choice for septoplasty and other ENT surgical procedures.

References:

1. Rijal KC, Ghimire B, Koirala KP, Kafle BR, Khadka A, Sapkota S, Gautam S. A Comparative Study between Conventional Neosporin Impregnated Ribbon Gauze and Merocel Nasal Packing following Septoplasty: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study. Nepal Journal Of Medical Sciences. 2024 Sep 8;9(1):58-65.
2. Chheda N, Katz AE, Gynizio L, Singer AJ. The pain of nasal tampon removal after nasal surgery: a randomized control trial. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2009 Feb;140(2):215-7. doi: 10.1016/j.otohns.2008.09.012. PMID: 19201291.
3. Kim SD, Hong SL, Kim MJ, Kim JY, Kim YW, Koo SK, Cho KS. Effectiveness of hemostatic gelatin sponge as a packing material after septoplasty: A prospective, randomized, multicenter study. Auris Nasus Larynx. 2018 Apr 1;45(2):286-90.