Septoplasty under local and general anaesthetic
Reviewed by Sunil Sharma

This Turkish prospective, non-randomised study compared the quality of life outcomes in 50 patients who underwent local anaesthetic (LA) septoplasty, and 50 patients who underwent general anaesthetic (GA) septoplasty over a six-month period. Quality of life outcomes were measured using the World Health Organisation-5 (WHO-5) Well-Being Index, Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale and a patient satisfaction form one month after surgery. They found that the general and disease-specific quality of life measures in those patients who underwent GA and LA septoplasty were higher in the first month after surgery than preoperatively and were similar between both groups postoperatively. The healthcare satisfaction of patients who underwent septoplasty under GA was higher than LA in the first month after surgery. It is interesting to note that those patients who had GA stayed in overnight, whilst those who had LA were discharged the same day. The study was limited by the short follow-up period. This study would suggest that LA septoplasty is safe and associated with comparable quality of life outcomes as a GA septoplasty, so the decision on which anaesthetic to use is up to the patient and surgeon’s experience and preference.

Quality of life and patient satisfaction following septoplasty: comparison of general and local anesthesia.
Vermisli S, Cukurova I, Kozcu SH, Cetinkaya EA.
B-ENT
2021;17:127-34.