SERVICES
SEPTOPLASTY
What is a septoplasty?
Septoplasty is a procedure that straightens a deviated septum inside the nose. The septum comprises cartilage and bone and measures about 7 centimetres in length in adults. It divides the inside of the nose into two chambers, which are known as nostrils. Due to inadequate drainage, a deviated septum can make it difficult to breathe through your nose and increase the risk of sinus infections.
What is a deviated septum?
If a septum is crooked or curved instead of straight, it is said to deviate. A deviated septum can obstruct airflow by blocking one or both chambers of the nose. A deviated septum can result from an injury, but it can also develop spontaneously.
Why is a septoplasty performed?
It's not uncommon to have a crooked septum. On the other hand, a deviated septum might block one side of your nose and decrease airflow, making it difficult to breathe from one or both sides. Septoplasty is a procedure that involves removing, relocating, and replacing cartilage, bone, or both to straighten the nasal septum. If you have symptoms affecting your quality of life, such as trouble breathing through your nose, you may want to consider surgery to correct a deviated septum. A deviated septum can make breathing through the nose difficult and compel breathing through the mouth. Thus, septoplasty is the only option to repair it. Dry mouth can be caused by mouth breathing. The inability to breathe via the nose at night is even more of an issue and can interfere with sleep. Septoplasty is sometimes used in conjunction with other medical operations, such as sinus surgery or the removal of nasal tumours. Although septoplasty does not modify the shape of the nose, it can be paired with septorhinoplasty, a nose-shaping procedure.
How long does the procedure take?
A septoplasty typically takes between 30 and 90 minutes.
What does recovery entail?
Septoplasty is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, which means that most patients can return home the same day. Swelling can last two to three days, but it might take up to three months to fully recover.
Can children have a septoplasty?
Because the septum contains the nose's "growth centre," septoplasty is usually not recommended in a child who is still growing unless the symptoms are extremely severe. As a result, septoplasty is more frequently done in adolescence or maturity (at least 16 years of age in girls and 17 to 18 years of age in boys). Septoplasty should be performed if the septal deviation causes serious breathing issues.
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