Plastic repair of the obstructing nasal septum.

UP TO 1890 the correction of septal deviations was accomplished by orthopedic redressment—a procedure which contemplates fracturing the septum and maintaining it in the sagittal plane over a period of months by the use of intranasal tubes. The method was successful in the correction of deflections of the bony septum, the friability of osseous structure permitting easy fracture and maintenance in the new position. It was ineffective, however, when the cartilage was involved, for cartilage, because of its great elasticity, is not easily fractured, and the tendency to return to its original form and position remained, despite attempts to overcome this difficulty by cross hatching or removing redundant strips, with or without elevation of the overlying membrane. Further objections were the damage inflicted by the crushing force of the instruments on the membrane, the discomfort of the prolonged postoperative treatment, and the tendency toward atrophy and necrosis of the membranes