Overview
Nasal septal perforation is a condition characterized by a hole in the septum separating the nasal passages. Common symptoms include crusting, epistaxis, and nasal obstruction 1.Diagnosis
Symptoms may include crusting, epistaxis, and nasal obstruction 1.Management
Surgical repair has a reported overall closure rate of 0.86 [95% CI 0.76-0.95] in pediatric patients 1.Special Populations
In pediatric patients, the most common etiologies for nasal septal perforations are iatrogenic (34.25%), traumatic (23.29%), and idiopathic (18.26%) 1.
Foreign body-related defects are also reported in a high proportion of pediatric patients 1.
Closure rates for surgical repair remain high in pediatric patients 1.Key Recommendations
Surgical repair of pediatric nasal septal perforations has a high closure rate 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
Iatrogenic and traumatic causes are the primary etiologies for nasal septal perforations in children 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
Foreign bodies are a significant cause of nasal septal defects in pediatric patients 1. (Evidence: Moderate)References
1 Sharma A, Mamoun L, Punjabi N, Qu R, Peterson JD, Inman JC. Paediatric Nasal Septal Perforations Systematic Review: Etiologies, Symptoms, and Treatment Outcomes. Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery 2025. link