Septoplasty

Specialty of Otolaryngology / ENT

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What is it?

Septoplasty is a corrective surgical procedure done to straighten the nasal septum, eliminating any congenital or trauma-induced deviations.

Such deviations represent an obstruction which makes breathing harder.

During the procedure, the surgeon may also resect your turbinates (if they are hypertrophic). Sometimes the procedure may involve an aesthetic intervention on your nose, thus becoming a rhynoseptoplasty.

What is it for?

Your ENT specialist may suggest surgery if you have trouble breathing due to a deviated septum.

How does it work?

Should there be a severely deviated septum, the surgeon may have to remove the septum completely, straighten it and then insert it back. In other cases, the surgery can be done internally from your nose, passing through the nostrils.

During the surgery, the cartilage segments (and sometimes small bone fractions) causing the deviation are removed.

How can I prepare for it?

First of all, you’ll need to go through your medical history with your doctor.

The doctor will also check your general state of health and study the shape of your nose.

If you smoke, you’ll need to stop before the procedure. You will also have to avoid taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) two weeks before and two weeks after the procedure.

Post-operative progress

After the surgery, you’ll need to go back to the hospital twice (one week apart from each visit) to check on and replace the dressing, to monitor your recovery and to remove any potential adhesions.

Spraying a hyaluronic acid mist on your face can help with the scarring and tissues healing.

One week after the procedure, the bones and cartilage should be completely healed. After two weeks your nose won't be as swollen and the mucosa will have healed as well.

Other treatment options

If you have a mild deviation, laser surgery can be a good option. In this case, the deviated septum is straightened with laser septoplasty.

This technique can be helpful for straightening the septum without causing you any pain (neither before nor after it), with much less bleeding and an easier healing process.

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