14.  What are the characteristics of the cocaine nose and how do you fix it?

Answer:
The injury of cocaine use is a chronic ischemic injury to the nasal mucosa and perichondrium. This can ultimately cause ischemic necrosis of the septal cartilage and subsequent septal perforation. More serious problems include osteocartilagenous necrosis, alar necrosis, and saddle deformity. Septal perforations require repair with a mucosal flap. More serious necrosis requires debridement and antibiotic with delayed reconstruction with bone or cartilage grafts.
 

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