Case report of intractable otitis media after septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery: a lesson to be learned

Nasal obstruction is a prevalent ENT complaint that is frequently caused by inferior turbinate hypertrophy and/or septum deviation. Septoplasty with turbinate reduction is a safe and highly effective surgical procedure that is commonly performed worldwide to relieve nasal obstruction. We recently encountered a case of unilateral intractable otitis media following septoplasty with turbinate reduction surgery due to post-operative complete fibrosis of the left eustachian tube. In addition, the patient had ventilation tube obstruction on multiple occasions due to extremely viscous ear discharge. Despite the rarity of this complication, as no such cases have previously been published, we communicate our experience for sharing the lesson gained from this case and take this complication into consideration postoperatively. Additionally, we propose a simple technique to provide protection for the eustachian tube during nasal surgery.