Septic pulmonary embolism after septoplasty and inferior turbinate reduction, a rare complication

Abstract

Septoplasty with inferior turbinate reduction (ITR) is a commonly performed surgery in the United States for improvement in nasal breathing. Well documented post-operative complications include bleeding, nasal septal perforation, adhesions, saddle nose deformity, cerebral spinal fluid rhinorrhea, and empty nose syndrome. Perioperative antibiotics are not recommended for septoplasty and ITR as they have not been found to decrease infection rates, but are still used among many surgeons. Here we present the first known case report of a septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) after a septoplasty with IRT. Keywords: Septoplasty, Complications, Septic pulmonary embolism, Turbinate reduction