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The routine procedure after correction of septal deviations is the utilization of endonasal packing in order to avoid septal haematoma. However, the mechanical pressure of this packing damages the mucociliar activity of the mucosa and causes lymphoedema by blocking the lymphatic vessels. Besides it represents a foreign body within the nose causing pain and unpleasant feeling for the patient. In order to avoid these disadvantages, in 57 patients we used fibrin glue instead of nasal packing. After correction of the septal deviation the two mucoperichondrium blades where fixed together with Tissucol Duo Quick. This technique not only leads to haemostasis, but also provides fixation of the newly modeled septum. In only one patient we found a small unilateral septal haematoma, in all other cases the postoperative period showed no complications. Patients had a significant reduction of endonasal crusts and postoperative swelling. Patients comfort increased significant without the (standard) nasal packing.

The concentrations of nicotine were determined via radioimmunoassay in the palatine tonsils (n = 22) and in the mucosa of the uvula (n = 5) of eleven male smokers, and in the nasal septal cartilage of four other smokers. The same tissues of five nonsmokers served as controls. The mean values of the nicotine concentrations were 77 ng/g for the tonsils (level of serum: 151 ng/g), 114.5 ng/g for the mucosa of the uvula (level of serum: 215 ng/g) and 36 ng/g for the septal cartilage (level of serum: 97 ng/g). There was no nicotine in the tissues and serum of the control group. The correlations between the nicotine concentrations of the three tissues and the levels of the serum were significant. Another significant correlation was found between the nicotine level of the serum and the daily consumption of cigarettes of the eleven patients on whom tonsillectomy had been performed. These concentrations of nicotine in the three types of tissue and in serum appear to be high after an interval of twelve hours non-smoking. With gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry also unchanged nicotine was found in the tonsils which is considered to be the damaging substance of tobacco.

A vessel schlerosing medicament is being injected submucously into the septum cartilage of the rabbit. The reaction of epithelium, of vessel wall and cartilage surface is being investigated light-microscopically and intravital-microscopically. The result is a firmly compressed tissue connective with circular narrowed vessels.