Irrigation with isotonic saline is one of the most frequently used solutions after nasal surgery. However, the effect of saline solutions on mucociliary clearance is not well known. In a previous study, it was found that isotonic saline solution had a negative effect on ciliary beat frequency but Ringer-Locke solution had no effect in vitro. In this study we compared the effects of Ringer-Lactate solution and isotonic saline solution on mucociliary transport time before, and after, nasal septal surgery in patients with nasal septal deviation. We found that patients who used Ringer-Lactate solution as irrigation after surgery had a significantly better mucociliary transport time than the patients using isotonic saline solution (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it is better to use Ringer-Lactate solution instead of 0.9 per cent saline solution for nasal irrigation.
