Septoplasty

Septoplasty is a surgical procedure that corrects the deviated septum which affects breathing.  When the septum is moved to one side of your nose and narrows the airway, a deviated septum occurs. This situation makes breathing difficult. During septoplasty, the nose septum is straightened and repositioned. 

A crooked septum is common. However, when it's severe, a deviated septum can block one side of your nose and reduce airflow. This causes difficulty breathing through one or both sides of your nose. Septoplasty repositions the cartilage, bone or both and puts them into a form.

Septoplasty may be necessary in the treatment of problems like sinus infection or tumor. In addition, it can be used when non-surgical methods cannot solve the problems of sleep apnea or snoring. 

What is Septum?

The septum is the wall of bone and cartilage that divides your nose into two separate nostrils. Mucous membrane covers the septum. At the same time it helps to protect the moistness within the nose. In people with a deviated septum, the air that goes through the nose causes dryness and therefore may lead to bleeding and encrustation. 

The septum may be deviated during childhood naturally toward one side, but it is generally straight in most people. Septum deviation is the displacement of septum between the nostrils and cause nasal obstruction.  

What are Conchae?

Nasal conchae are the network of bone, vein and tissue within the nasal cavities. They are responsible for heating, moisturizing and filtering the air we breathe. The mucous that covers the conchae restrains and filters the particles in the air. As a result, conchae are an important part of the immune system that fights against illnesses. If the bone structure is different from normal, it may cause nasal obstruction.  

Why is Septoplasty Necessary?

Septoplasty surgery can be performed when difficulty in breathing affects your quality of life or when the other treatments fail. Its purpose is to correct the nasal septum that obstructs breathing. 

It can also be  performed to treat long-term sinusitis, remove nasal polyps, and treat other conditions that block the nasal airway. 

How is it Done?

Septoplasty corrects a deviated septum by trimming the bone or the cartilage, repositioning, or changing them. Most of the time, it is performed by making incisions inside the nose, but if there are fractures as a result of a trauma or if the curvature is close to the nasal tip, open method is used in the surgery. In that case, the surgeon makes a small incision in the nose tip. Septoplasty is generally done under general anesthesia. It takes from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the complexity of the condition. 

After the Procedure

Septoplasty is usually performed as an outpatient procedure unless major complications arise.This means that the patient can go home a few hours after the procedure. There may rarely be some swelling and bruising after the procedure. The day after the procedure, there might be a slight pain that can be kept under control with painkillers. People can go back to their daily lives after a day of rest. 

If it is not necessary, you won’t have splints or packing inside your nose. Packing that allows you to breathe will be sufficient. The packing will be removed in 3 or 4 days after the surgery. 

You should also limit your physical activity for several weeks after surgery to minimize swelling and promote healing. These activities involve running, weight lifting and playing contact sports. They can increase your blood pressure and lead to bleeding.
Septoplasty and rhinoplasty 

If a person is unhappy about the appearance of their nose, they should consult their doctor. In a septoplasty procedure the main purpose is to straighten the nasal septum and regain the functions of the nose without touching its appearance. In a septoplasty procedure which involves rhinoplasty, the person can fix both the functional and aesthetic concerns. 

Moreover, doing rhinoplasty surgery as a separate procedure from septoplasty may lead to experiencing similar problems twice and having difficulty in the rhinoplasty surgery since reshaping had already been done before.