The study is published in the Journal of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery.

Caudal septoplasty is a difficult procedure. The cutting and suture technique is suitable for caudal septoplasty, but a batten graft is always necessary and bears the risk of nasal tip projection loss.

Therefore, Yu Hosokawa and colleagues carried out the present study where they established a modified cutting and suture technique (MCAST), without using a batten graft, and investigated its effectiveness in correcting nasal obstruction and preventing nasal tip projection loss.

The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 22 patients who underwent caudal septoplasty using MCAST. Subjective assessment by Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) score and objective assessment by computed tomography (CT) were performed before and after the surgery.

For evaluating nasal tip projection, we asked patients about their awareness of external nasal deformity. Additionally, the nasal tip projection was measured by CT and compared before and after surgery.

The following findings were observed-

a. The median preoperative NOSE score reduced significantly after MCAST (P < 0.001).

b. On CT, the ratio of the area of the convex side to that of the concave side in the anterior portion of the nasal cavity increased significantly after MCAST (P < 0.001).

e. The mean supra tip height was significantly greater postoperatively than preoperatively (P = 0.02).

Hence, the authors concluded that "the MCAST was useful for correcting nasal obstruction with caudal septal deviation. There was no postoperative loss of nasal tip projection. The MCAST can be suitable for correcting C-shaped caudal deviations without dislocating the caudal septum from the anterior nasal septum."