Comparison of Finger Glove and Ribbon Gauze Nasal Packing after Septal Surgery

Objective: To compare the efficacy of finger glove and ribbon gauze as nasal packing material after septal surgery by assessingthe two parameters of bleeding and pain.Materials and Methods: This cross sectional comparative study was conducted at ENT Department of PNS SHIFA Hospital,Karachi, over a period of one and a half years fromAugust 2014 to January 2016.A total of 100 patients were included in thisstudy. Inclusion criterion was all patients undergoing septal surgery requiring post-operative nasal packing. The right side ofnose was packed with finger glove packing and left side of nose was packed with ribbon gauze in every patient. Pain andbleeding were assessed during 24 hour period of packing and on pack removal.Results: Mean blood loss during the packing period and at the time of pack removal was 6.60 ml and 2.31 ml respectively onthe finger glove side and 11.40ml and 7.47 ml respectively on the ribbon gauze side (p = 0.001). Similarly mean pain scoreon VAS during the packing period and at the time of removal was 2.62 and 3.65 respectively on the finger glove side while3.37 and 4.41 on the ribbon gauze side(p = 0.001). No complication from nasal packing was seen on either side.Conclusion: Finger glove is a better choice for packing after septal surgery than ribbon gauze because of less bleeding andpain.