Histologic Change of the Septal Cartilage with the Respect to Trauma History and Age at the Trauma in Nasal Septal Deviation

Choi, Jong Cheol; Kim, Jong Yeup; Park, Byung Kuhn; In, Seung Min; Kim, Bum Kyeong

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The histologic difference of the traumatic nasal septal cartilage from that of non-traumatic has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to identify histologic difference in the nasal septal cartilage between traumatic and non-traumatic nasal septal deviation and to find its implication for surgical intervention.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Nasal septal cartilage was obtained from 23 patients who had undergone septoplasty or septorhinoplasty for the nasal septal deviation. The septal cartilage without trauma (7 patients, Group I) and with the history of the trauma at the age under 10-15 years old (8 patients, Group II), and over 25 years old (8 patients, Group III) between May 2003 to February 2005 were included in this study. An approximately 1 x 1 cm sized piece of the septal cartilage was harvested from the site deviated the most. The histologic difference of the septal cartilage by hematoxylineosin staining under a light microscope was performed.
RESULTS
The chondrocyte densities were significantly higher in the convex side than in the concave side of the septal cartilage in Group I, II, III. Especially, the increased chondrocyte ratio (convex/concave) were more evident in the septal cartilage traumatized at the age of 10 to 15 years, and the cartilage plate was thicker than the other groups (p<0.001). Also, dystrophic changes of the chondrocytes as representing the chondrocyte differentiation and chondroblast ratio (convex/concave) were significantly higher in the group II than in the other groups (p<0.005).
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrated that age dependent changes in septal cartilage with nasal trauma showed distinctive histologic characteristics. We suggest that these observations will help determine surgical treatment modality for cases of nasal septal deviations with and without trauma.