THE EFFECT OF 0.2% NITROFURAZONE SOAKED GAUZE STRIP NASAL PACKING TO THE NASAL FLORA AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTATION OF POSTOPERATIVE INFECTIVE COMPLICATIONS

¹SSK Ankara Eğitim Hastanesi, II. KBB Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye
²SSK Ankara Eğitim Hastanesi, Mikrobiyoloji Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye The effect of 0.2% nitrofurazone soaked gauze strip nasal packing to the nasal flora and its effectiveness in prevention of postoperative infective complications were investigated. In 54 patients, nasal packing after septoplasty was soaked in 0.2% nitrofurazone while 20 patients had their packing soaked with 0.9% NaCl as a control group. Additional treatment with oral amoxicilline clavulonic acid was given for 5 days in both groups. Preoperative and postoperative nasal cultures were taken to investigate the effect of nitrofurazone. Postoperative nasal cultures of the nitrofurazone group showed that gr (+) microorganisms of the nasal flora were inhibited while gr (-) microorganisms were pathologically increased. In the control group there was a pathological increase in both gr (-) and gr (+) microorganisms. Although the culture results revealed pathological growth of microorganisms, only one patient had localized infection in nitrofurazone group whereas 3 patients had localized infection in the control group. None of these patients required further treatment. We did not see any systemic complications. In conclusion, nitrofurazone soaked gauze strip has been found to be effective in preventing postoperative infective complications of nasal packing. Keywords : septoplasty, gauze nasal packing, nitrofurazone, nasal flora, complication