Nasal Trauma

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Nasal Trauma: Anatomy & Initial Assaults - Broken Beak Basics

Nasal skeleton anatomy: bones and cartilages

  • Nasal Pyramid:
    • Bones: Paired nasal bones, frontal process of maxilla.
    • Cartilages: Upper lateral, lower lateral (alar), septal cartilage.
  • Blood Supply Hotspots:
    • Kiesselbach's plexus (anterior), common for epistaxis.
    • Woodruff's plexus (posterior), for posterior bleeds.
  • Common Causes:
    • Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), assault, sports injuries.
  • Fracture Types:
    • Simple: Single line, displaced/undisplaced.
    • Comminuted: Multiple fragments.
    • Greenstick: Incomplete, seen in children.

⭐ Nasal bones are the most commonly fractured facial bones.

Clinical Assessment: Signs & Symptoms - Detective Work on Deck

  • History Taking:
    • Mechanism (MOI: direct blow, fall), timing of injury.
    • Previous nasal trauma/surgery, any pre-existing deformity.
    • Epistaxis: duration, severity, laterality.
  • Key Symptoms:
    • Pain, swelling, visible external deformity (ask patient about changes).
    • Nasal obstruction, difficulty breathing through nose.
    • Anosmia (loss of smell), epistaxis.
    • Diplopia, infraorbital paresthesia (if orbital/zygomatic involvement).
  • Critical Signs (Examination):
    • External: Inspect for deformity (deviation, depression), palpate for tenderness, crepitus, bony step-offs, instability. Note edema, ecchymosis.
    • "Raccoon eyes" (bilateral periorbital ecchymosis) → strongly suggests skull base fracture.
    • Internal (Anterior Rhinoscopy is vital):
      • Nasal Septum: Meticulously check for septal hematoma (bluish, boggy, fluctuant swelling - surgical emergency!), deviation, lacerations.
      • Mucosal tears, active bleeding points.
    • CSF Rhinorrhea: Clear, watery nasal discharge? Test with Halo/Ring sign (double ring); confirm with Beta-2 transferrin assay.

⭐ Always examine the nasal septum to rule out a septal hematoma, which is a surgical emergency.

Initial Assessment Algorithm:

Key Injuries & Imaging Insights - Hematomas, Fractures & Films

  • Nasal Bone Fractures: Classified by severity:
    • Type I: Simple, unilateral or bilateral.
    • Type II: Comminuted, with or without depression.
    • Type III: Complex, involving septum, orbit, or ethmoids.
  • Septal Hematoma:
    • Bilateral, fluctuant, reddish/bluish swelling.
    • ⚠️ Urgent Incision & Drainage (I&D) vital.
    • Risks: Cartilage necrosis, saddle nose, septal abscess.

    ⭐ A septal hematoma, if untreated, can lead to cartilage necrosis and saddle nose deformity within 3-4 days.

  • Septal Abscess:
    • Presents with fever, severe pain.
    • Requires I&D and systemic antibiotics.
  • Imaging:
    • Plain X-rays (Lateral, Waters' view): Limited utility; often not needed for isolated nasal fractures.
    • CT Scan: Indicated for:
      • Suspected complex fractures (e.g., naso-orbito-ethmoid).
      • CSF leak suspicion.
      • Orbital involvement.
      • Pre-operative planning for Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF). Nasal fracture types I, II, and III

Management Strategies & Complications - Fixing Noses & Future Notes

  • Conservative: Ice, analgesia, head elevation (for minor/undisplaced #).
  • Closed Reduction (CR): For cosmetically/functionally significant displacement.
    • Timing: Ideally <3 hours (pre-swelling); OR 5-10 days (adults), 3-7 days (children) post-swelling.
    • Technique: Local/General Anesthesia; Walsham's, Asch's forceps; internal/external splinting. Closed reduction of nasal fracture with Walsham forceps
  • Open Reduction (ORIF): For severe comminution, failed CR, late presentation >3 weeks, or septal fracture needing septorhinoplasty.
  • Septal Hematoma: Prompt I&D, packing, antibiotics. ⚠️ Prevents cartilage necrosis & saddle deformity.

⭐ Closed reduction of nasal fractures is best performed after swelling subsides, typically between 5 to 10 days post-injury in adults.

  • Management Flow:
  • Complications:
    • Early: Epistaxis, septal hematoma/abscess, infection, CSF leak, pain, swelling.
    • Late: External deformity (deviation, saddle nose), nasal obstruction, septal perforation, synechiae, anosmia, chronic sinusitis. Saddle nose deformity vs healthy nose

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Nasal bone fractures are the most common type of facial fractures.
  • Septal hematoma requires urgent incision and drainage to prevent saddle nose deformity or septal abscess.
  • CSF rhinorrhea, testing positive for glucose or β2-transferrin, suggests a cribriform plate fracture.
  • "Raccoon eyes" (bilateral periorbital ecchymosis) can indicate an anterior cranial fossa fracture.
  • Nasal packing for epistaxis control post-trauma carries a risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome.

Practice Questions: Nasal Trauma

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Reduction rhinoplasty is done for

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Flashcards: Nasal Trauma

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Indications for surgery in a case of DNS are:Persistent _____ and recurrent headachesRecurrent sinusitis and otitis media.Recurrent epistaxis from septal spur.Septal deviation causing sleep apnea or hypopnoea syndrome.

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

Indications for surgery in a case of DNS are:Persistent _____ and recurrent headachesRecurrent sinusitis and otitis media.Recurrent epistaxis from septal spur.Septal deviation causing sleep apnea or hypopnoea syndrome.

nasal obstruction

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