Comparison of ultrasonography-assisted closed reduction with conventional closed reduction for the treatment of acute nasal fractures

Ultrasonography has often been reported to be a useful tool in cases of nasal fracture, not only for diagnosing such fractures but also for intraoperatively assessing surgical outcomes. In this study, we examined the utility of ultrasonography for intraoperatively assessing the results of surgery for acute nasal fractures. In the conventional group, the outcome of each fracture reduction procedure was intraoperatively confirmed by visual inspection and palpation. In the ultrasound group, intraoperative ultrasonography was used to assess the condition of the fracture before and after closed reduction. The outcomes of the reduction procedures and the reoperation rate were compared between the two groups. According to computed tomography-based evaluations, there were no significant differences in the outcomes of the reduction procedures between the two groups (p > 0.05). As for the reoperation rate, two patients (2.8%) in the conventional group underwent reoperations, but no patient (0%) required reoperations in the ultrasound group. However, the difference in the reoperation rate between the two groups was not significant (p > 0.05). These results indicate that visual inspection and palpation are as reliable as ultrasonography for intraoperatively assessing the outcomes of surgery for acute nasal fractures. Surgeons should not depend on ultrasonography alone, but rather should use it in addition to visual inspection and palpation. (C) 2014 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.