The effect of smoking on perforation development and healing after septoplasty.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between septal perforation and smoking (of cigarettes) was not previously studied in patients who underwent septoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of smoking on nasal septal perforation development and the postoperative healing process in patients who underwent septoplasty.

METHODS: Medical records of patients who underwent septoplasty procedures between January 2010 and December 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Any candidates with chronic systemic disease, were >40 years of age, were prone to complications (i.e., excessive septal deviation), or had previous nasal surgery were excluded from study. The subjects were grouped by smoking habits, and septal effects of smoking were evaluated clinically.

RESULTS: Of 281 patients, 88 qualified as smokers (group 1) and 193 were considered nonsmokers (group 2). Septal perforation was observed in eight patients in group 1 and in one patient in group 2 (p < 0.05). In groups 1 and 2, the average healing times were 8.8 ± 2.04 days and 7.51 ± 1.75 days, respectively (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Both nasal recovery time and development of septal perforation proved significantly greater in patients who smoked after septoplasty.