Endonasal septal perforation repair using posterior and inferiorly based mucosal rotation flaps.

IMPORTANCE: Repair of nasal septal perforations is challenging regardless of surgical technique due to their location and the health of surrounding tissue. There is currently no surgical procedure which is completely effective in the treatment of anteriorly located perforations.

OBJECTIVE: To report a novel method of closing anterior septal perforations using an inferiorly based mucosal rotation flap and an acellular dermal interposition graft, as well as expand upon a previous series.

DESIGN: The study includes patients who underwent surgical repair for septal perforations by the senior author between 2003 and 2015.

SETTING: The study took place at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine patients (15 male) with septal perforations of various size and etiology underwent endonasal repair using rotation flaps. The average age of patients was 42-years old (range 10-67years). INTERVENTION FOR CLINICAL TRIALS OR EXPOSURE FOR OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES: Five patients had perforations such that we used inferiorly based flaps, while 35 cases utilized posteriorly based flaps. Acellular dermis was used in addition to a unilateral rotation flap.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome desired was a complete closure of the septal perforation. The success, or lack thereof, was monitored after healing from surgery.

RESULTS: Thirty-seven of the forty surgical procedures demonstrated complete closure of the perforation, a 92.5% success rate. Perforations were separated based upon size. Small perforations (<1cm) had a 93.3% success rate, medium (1-2cm) 88.9%, and all seven large perforations (>2cm) were closed successfully. In addition, all five of the inferiorly based procedures resulted in complete closure of the perforation. Of the failed repairs, one required revision surgery to repair a recurring perforation, while the other two were asymptomatic following the procedure.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Endonasal repair using inferiorly based mucosal rotation flaps coupled with an acellular dermal interposition graft is a valid technique for the repair of septal perforations. Posterior rotation flaps are preferred due to major septal blood supply from branches of the sphenopalatine artery, but inferiorly based flaps are also viable options for repair for perforations located in the anterior septum.