A Five-Year Retrospective Cohort Study Analyzing Factors Influencing Complications after Nasal Trauma

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes of patients with nasal trauma during a long period of time and determine factors predisposing to complications after nasal trauma treatment. A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included all patients who were attended for a nasal trauma between January and December 2010. In 2015, the charts were retrospectively reviewed and the patients were prospectively followed up looking for outcomes after treatment of nasal trauma. A univariate analysis between complications and risk factors was performed and a logistic regression model was used to explore the prognostic role of the variables considered to have clinical relevance and to estimate the odds ratio for the occurrence of postoperative complications. A total of 220 consecutive patients with nasal trauma were included in the study. The mean follow-up was 44.3 ± 10.3 months (3–67) with 10% of lost patients. The most important factors determining complications after nasal trauma treatment were male gender, acute septal injury, chronic septal deviation, displaced or comminuted fractures in the radiologic study, and late nasal reduction surgery. A decision-making algorithm is proposed based on the fact that nasal bone fracture is not a minor problem and that closed nasal bone reduction is not the treatment of choice for all patients with nasal trauma.