Is packing used after nose surgery?

Why this question comes up so often

A large share of patients considering nose surgery worry less about the operation than about having packing removed. The fear has a real origin: the gauze packing used years ago was placed tightly inside the nose, stuck to the mucosa and hurt noticeably on removal.

The stories people hear from family or friends usually date from that era. Practice today is different.

Why packing is used at all

It has two jobs: to stop bleeding, and to hold the straightened septum in its new position while keeping the mucosa on each side from sticking together.

The second job matters more. Blood collecting between the layers of mucosa after septoplasty (a haematoma) can compromise the blood supply of the septal cartilage, and that must be prevented.

What is used today

The common practice is silicone splints with a channel through them. They are placed on either side of the septum, and the channel lets the patient breathe through the nose to some degree after surgery. Their surface is smooth, so they do not stick to the mucosa, and removal is not comparable to the old packing.

Dissolvable materials can also be used, in which case there is nothing to remove.

What is used, and for how long, depends on the operation. In surgery confined to the nasal tip, usually nothing is placed at all.

How long they stay

Silicone splints are usually removed within the first week, often at the same review as the external splint. Your surgeon sets the exact timing.

Removal takes a few seconds and a numbing spray may be used beforehand. Most patients describe it as brief discomfort rather than pain.

What to expect while the splints are in

• Breathing through the mouth. The lining is swollen, so this is normal.
• A dry mouth. Drinking plenty and keeping the room humid helps.
• Light discharge. Some blood-stained discharge is expected on the first day.
• No nose blowing. Pressure can damage healing tissue.
• Sneezing with the mouth open if you have to sneeze.

When to call

Bleeding that will not stop, a high temperature, marked one-sided swelling and steadily increasing pain are not expected findings. Contact your surgeon without delay if any of these occur.