Comparison of packing-free treatment with and without Kirschner wire splinting for nasal bone fracture: a retrospective analysis in Korea.

Background: Nasal bone fractures are among the most common facial injuries. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of a no-packing approach with and without Kirschner wire (K-wire) splinting in the treatment of less severe nasal bone fractures.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study comparing cases of simple fractures classified as type II-III according to Higuera's classification that were treated surgically with closed reduction. Patients were divided into two groups: the control group (no packing, no K-wire splint) and the experimental group (no packing with K-wire splint). We calculated the difference in the distance (mm) between the centerline of the triangle and the apex on facial bone on computed tomography scans immediately after surgery and at a mean of 3.6 months after surgery, assessing postoperative symptoms at 3 days after surgery.

Results: The experimental group (no packing with K-wire splint) showed no statistically significant difference in radiological outcomes compared to the control group. The distance from the apex to the centerline of the triangle was 0.009± 0.012 mm in the control group and 0.008± 0.009 mm in the experimental group. However, the control group reported fewer postoperative symptoms, including nasal obstruction and dry mouth.

Conclusion: The packing-free approach without K-wire splinting may reduce postoperative discomfort without compromising surgical outcomes compared to K-wire splinting without packing.