The use of bioactive glass S53P4 in surgical repair of septal perforations

• Published in: Laryngo-Rhino-Otologie
• Main Authors: Grénman, R, Stoor, P
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: German
• Published: 04.03.2004
• Subjects: bioactive glass; turbinate flaps; septum perforation
• ISSN: 0935-8943; 1438-8685
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-823666

Bioactive glass (BAG) S53P4 is a bone and soft tissue bonding implant material, that has been used in reconstruction of defects of facial bones, in treatment of middle ear and dental-jaw regions and in operative treatment of frontal sinusitis and atrophic rhinitis. BAG S53P4 has showed antibacterial effects when used as a paste, and in the form of granules or discs it does not favour adhesion of nasal/pharyngeal pathogens, such as Klebsiella ozaenae , Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Nasal septum perforation may be a posttraumatic complication, a complication of epistaxis, septal hematoma or abscess, or a deformation due to pathology of the nose. This disorder causes epistaxis, crusting which complicates the normal nose-breathing and sometimes wisthling sounds when breathing. Septal perforations has been surgically treated using different closure techniques and various implant materials, but with poor long lasting results. We studied the use of bioactive glass (BAG) S53P4 as an interpositional graft and the use of turbinate flaps in 23 patients suffering from septum perforations. 16 patients were treated with mucoperiosteal flaps only. The perforations were successfully closed in 38 of 39 patients. Due to hypophyseal surgery one patient had a near total septum perforation, which could not be closed. No extrusions of the BAG and no BAG-associated infections were seen during the average follow-up of 28 months. BAG S53P4 seems to be a good interpositional graft in the repair of nasal septum perforations and turbinate flaps are reliable.