What is septoplasty?
Well, in simple words, septoplasty is a crucial nasal surgery that is conducted to correct deviation in nasal septum.
Cause for septoplasty
The nose is separated at middle with the nostril or nasal cavity on 2 sides. It is a nasal septum that helps in the separation. Made up of bone and cartilage, the septum assures support & shape for nose. In case it’s irregular, deviated or bent, the septum might lead to breathing difficulty, resulting in a crooked nose. Added to breathing trouble & a crooked nose, people with deviated septum can also experience snoring problems, dry mouth & consistent sinus infection.
The septoplasty surgery helps to straighten the septum that further widens the shrunk nostril, resulting in easy breathing and a proper nose build.
Benefits of here
• To improve your breathing condition. Actually, the surgery relieves the obstruction at nasal airway, removing malformed bone & cartilage of the nasal septum- that ultimately eases normal airflow.
• At times, Septoplasty is conducted as some secondary surgery to nose job or rhinoplasty. In this case, septoplasty is used to improve airway or else straighten up the crooked nose.
It is to stress here that in case you have suffered a nasal injury, septpoplasty is not advised for six months minimum.
Pre surgery cautions
• It is to stress here that in case you have suffered a nasal injury, septpoplasty is not advised for six months minimum.
• Two weeks prior to the operation, stop aspirin intake & other similar medication which risk bleeding.
• Don’t drink or eat anything post midnight prior to the surgery day.
• While going for the surgery, wear something which is buttoned down so that you are not needed pull it over the face or head.
• You must be accompanied by a friend or relative while going for the surgery.
• Stay prepared with gauze, cool compress aide, general painkillers.
The septoplasty procedure
If you have decided to opt for septoplasty, you must make sure to consult with a board certified ENT specialist. The septoplasty treatment would commence with pre-surgery consultation where the surgeon would examine the nasal airway & evaluate air flow procedure of the nose from each of the nostrils. Actually, the septoplasty surgery demands customized attention in tune with the specific nasal and health condition of each patient. Thus, you have to inform the doctor about all your medications, allergies & entire health history.
The doctor will perform nasal endoscopy & CT scan (at times) as well to ensure comprehensive idea of nasal cavities. The septoplasty surgery would be usually conducted on outpatient basis, preceded by general anesthesia.
The actual septoplasty surgery will commence with your surgeon making an internal incision on one edge of nasal septum. This is to lift the mucosa or mucous membrane away from cartilage so that it’s easy to remove the obstructive nasal cartilage & bone. The surgeons here generally implement splints inside the nose in support of septum, as the healing starts. The splints would be removed later on in the post-operation visits.
Post surgery situation
In most of the cases, the operated patient can get back to his normal routine within the 1st week- however; they are suggested to avoid any sort of heavy exercise or physical exertion for 2-3 weeks.
Relation with rhinoplasty
Albeit rhinoplasty and septoplasty are two different operations for the nasal area but at times these are used by the surgeons as a combo. Your surgeon might recommend rhinoplasty for his septoplasty patients if they have developed a crooked nose due to deviated septum- which demands a cosmetic correction assured by rhinoplasty. Septoplasty surgery is covered by insurance plans as well.
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Add a Comment1 Comments
Hi thespring,
Thanks for sharing this great information on this type of procedure.
Best,
Daisy
April 28, 2014 - 5:44amThis Comment