[Laser-assisted outpatient septal spur surgery for contact point pain].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy outcomes of laser assisted outpatient septal spur surgery for contact point pain in a carefully selected group of patients. METHOD: This investigation included 32 patients who were selected for laser-assisted septal spur surgery in an outpatient surgical suite. All had endoscopically visible spur contact as well as nansal CT scans. Patients of sinusitis were excluded. The area of the contact point was treated with decongestant and lidocaine. If the headache completely disappeared or diminished by more than 50% in intensity, subjects were considered candidates for surgery. Headache characteristics were assessed preoperatively and at follow-up (30 months after surgery) using a standardized questionare. RESULT: Nine cases (28.1%) were free from pain at the last follow-up; 19 cases (59.4%) had their headache scores improved after surgery; four cases (12.5%) had a less than 25% reduction in their headache score. No septal perforation, hematoma, was reported. CONCLUSION: For selected patients with contact point headaches, septoplasty may be useful. The positive dicaine test may indicate better effect of operation. Laser-assisted outpatient septal spur surgery for contact point pain shows good results in short-term effect, and has less complications, but long-term follow-up is required to assess its real effect.