Ho Chi Minh City: Broken nose after teammate's pickleball swing

Male patient P. (35 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) was playing pickleball when he was suddenly hit in the middle of the nose by his teammate's racket, causing bleeding and swelling. When he was hospitalized, the doctor diagnosed him with a broken nose.

On October 14, Master - Specialist Doctor 1 Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Center for Ear, Nose and Throat, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, announced that the results of endoscopy and 128-slice CT scan recorded that patient P.'s nasal bone was broken at the nasal tower position, with soft tissue emphysema in the nasal area, deviated nasal septum, and exudative rhinitis. The patient was indicated for surgery to lift the nasal bone and correct the nasal septum.

“Nasal bone fracture (nasal bone fracture) is the most common type of facial fracture because the nose is located in the center of the face and protrudes forward, often due to trauma such as accidents, falls or sports impacts like Mr. P.”, Dr. Nguyen shared.

Doctor during endoscopic surgery to correct the patient's nose

PHOTO: TA

Common symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising around the eyes, nosebleeds, nasal deformities or difficulty breathing. In Mr. P's case, a nasal bone augmentation surgery was needed to restore the nose to its natural shape and clear the nasal airway. If left untreated, the nasal bone will deform, become crooked or collapse, causing obstruction, sinusitis, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, septal hematoma can easily lead to cartilage necrosis, nasal deformities, and even cerebrospinal fluid leakage if the damage spreads to the ethmoid bone.

The patient was treated medically for 3 days to reduce swelling and inflammation in the nose before being admitted to the hospital for surgery. The patient was given general anesthesia. Through endoscopy combined with CT, the doctor found the nose deformed, the nasal tower and the jawbone on both sides were broken and displaced. The doctor performed septum correction, removed the crooked cartilage and bone, then lifted and adjusted the nasal bone to a balanced position. Finally, a fixed gauze was placed in the nasal cavity to keep the bone stable.

After surgery, the patient could breathe easily, had little pain, was able to function normally, was in stable health, and was discharged 1 day after surgery. After a follow-up visit 2 weeks later, the surgical wound healed well, and the nose was balanced and back to its natural shape.

People with broken nose need to be treated early and properly.

According to Dr. Nguyen, people with nasal bone fractures need to be treated early and properly, preferably within the first 4-7 days after the injury, when the bone spur has not yet formed. This is the time when the doctor can adjust the nasal bone back to its original position, helping to maintain the natural shape of the nose and limit deformation.

If left too long, the nasal bone will form a deviation, causing the bridge of the nose to be bumpy, concave or crooked to one side, making the face unbalanced. Over time, the soft tissue around the nose will become fibrotic and contracted, causing the nasal skin to deform and lose elasticity, not only affecting aesthetics but also causing nasal congestion and difficulty breathing due to the deviated septum.

Doctor Nguyen recommends that after a strong impact to the nose area, if you see swelling, pain, bruising or scratches on the skin of the nose, nasal deformity, nosebleeds or nasal congestion, etc., you should see a doctor early for timely diagnosis and treatment to limit complications.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tphcm-gay-xuong-mui-sau-cu-vung-vot-pickleball-cua-dong-doi-185251014142453353.htm