Nasal Valve Repair

Anesthesia Implications

Position: Supine, Bed turned 90 degrees
Time: 30-60 min (short)
Blood Loss: Very Low (5-10 ml)
Post-op Pain: Moderate (3-6)
Maintenance Paralytic: Preference

Paralytic – This is the provider preference. The Septum is very sensitive, so keeping the patient still can be challenging. For this reason, some providers prefer paralytics.

Pain – pain after the procedure is usually minimal. It is very common for the surgeon to inject local with epinephrine at the beginning of the case, which is usually effective for pain relief postoperatively.

Bleeding – The surgeon will inject local with epinephrine into the nasal passages. This practice is very effective at reducing blood loss. There’s always the possibility of blood still pooling in the pharynx and/or nasopharynx. Make sure that the cuff is adequately inflated at the beginning of the case and the airway is thoroughly suctioned at the end.