A prospective single blinded study on comparison of efficacy of intranasal instillation and cotton pledget packing as nasal preparatory methods for diagnostic nasal endoscopy

Background: Nasal endoscopy requires nasal preparation with local anaesthetic-decongestant combination to reduce the discomfort experienced by the patient. An ideal delivery technique that would cause minimal discomfort to the patient but ensures a good field of vision during nasal endoscopy is essential. To compare the efficacy and safety of intranasal nasal drops instillation and cotton pledget packing as preparation methods for diagnostic nasal endoscopy. Methods: The present study was a prospective single blinded experimental clinical study conducted at ACS Medical College and Hospital. The sample size included 48 patients who were then divided into 2 groups of 24 each. 5 ml of lignocaine-adrenaline mixture was used for nasal preparation for DNE in both Cotton Pledgets (CP) and intranasal instillation (NI) groups. Data was entered and analyzed. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: There was no significant difference in the overall pain/discomfort experienced by the patients in both the groups. The pre-endoscopic and post-endoscopic findings showed that there was no significant variation in the visualisation of the various intra nasal structures among both study groups. Conclusions: Cotton Pledgets (CP) and intranasal nasal drops instillation (NI) preparations for endoscopy have significant merits and demerits, but in terms of discomfort and pain during procedure, nasal instillation was an effective method for preparation of patients for diagnostic nasal endoscopy. This method can be a vital resource especially during emergency situations and among patients who are anxious or sensitive to nasal packing.