Merocel compression dressing: a novel modified surgical technique for treating auricular pseudocyst

PURPOSE

Auricular pseudocyst (AP) is a benign, noninflammatory swelling to the ear, located on either the front or side surface. Deroofing surgery with variable compression methods is considered the most effective method. However, post-operative wound pain is the main drawback following compression. We are introducing a novel painless surgical procedure which involves deroofing technique followed by Merocel® compression dressing.

METHODS

From 2015 to 2020, thirty-one patients with AP received this new surgical compression method in our university-affiliated tertiary hospital. Retrospective chart review and the analysis of the results were conducted.

RESULTS

All patients had unilateral lesions, with left side lesions (58.1%) predominant. The concha cymba (38.7%) and concha cavum (35.8%) were the most common sites. Previous aspiration or drainage had been performed for the cysts in eight patients (25.8%). Only one patient had the recurrence after post-operative 3 months and received the revised surgery without following recurrence and discomfort. Among all patients, 29 (93.5%) patients claimed minimal pain around 0 or 1 in numeric rating scale of pain score. Three patients had mild ecchymosis but recovered after conservative treatment. One patient had mild auricular deformity after surgery due to pre-treatment partial cartilage necrosis. All patients had follow-up for at least 6 months.

CONCLUSION

This novel Merocel® compression dressing technique to treat AP after deroofing is an effective procedure. Minimal pain, simple to do and easily acquired materials were the advantages of this novel procedure.

A comparative study of gloved versus ungloved merocel® as nasal pack after septoplasty

Introduction

Septoplasty or septal reconstruction is a corrective surgical procedure performed to straighten the nasal septum. It may be associated with numerous complications. To minimize these complications, both nasal cavities are frequently packed with different types of nasal packing.

Materials and Methods

This prospective, observational, and comparative study was undertaken in the Department of ENT, Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India. A total of sixty patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria participated in the study. They were divided into two groups, Groups A and B. After septoplasty, the nasal cavity was packed with gloved Merocel^® in Group A and ungloved Merocel^® in control group (Group B). The efficacy and patient tolerance for both nasal packings were compared and assessed. The data collected were compiled and analyzed statistically.

Results

In our study, it was demonstrated that gloved Merocel^® produces less pain during pack insertion (P = 0.001) and produces less pain while insertion of pack in situ (P = 0.001) and during pack removal (P = 0.001). Saccharin transit time (STT) returned back to normal in gloved Merocel^® group (P = 0.001) in most of patients (27) by the 2^nd week, whereas STT in ungloved Merocel^® group returned back to normal by the 4^th week postoperatively. The differences in impairment in STT between the two groups were found to be statistically significant. There was no statistical significance between both groups for other parameters.

Conclusion

Gloved Merocel^® may be preferred over ungloved Merocel^® as nasal packing following septoplasty since both types of packs had similar hemostatic, adhesion prevention properties and similar incidence in postoperative complications and gloved Merocel^® produces less pain during its insertion, while it is in situ, during its removal with early recovery of nasal mucociliary clearance mechanism of nose.