Septoplasty Overview

Septoplasty is a surgical procedure to correct a deviated septum. The septum comprises of cartilage and bone which divides your nose into 2 separate nostrils. A deviated septum can be caused by an injury to the nose or a lot of people are born with it. For many people, one nasal passage can be smaller than the other. If the deviated septum is severe it can reduce the airflow making it difficult to breath. A deviated septum can only be corrected by surgery. 

Symptoms of deviated septum:

Difficulty breathing
Facial pain
Nose bleeds

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may need to consider having surgery to correct your septum. Septoplasty will simply straighten the nasal septum by trimming, repositioning, and replacing bone or cartilage. With any type of surgical procedure, there are risks involved, your surgeon will discuss all the benefits and the risks with you in your consultation appointment prior to your surgery date.

After the Septoplasty Procedure

Once the anesthetic has worn off, to help reduce the bleeding and swelling, you will be asked to follow certain precautions for weeks after the surgery. Depending on the extent of your surgery, you may not need to follow all of these precautions. Your nose may be swollen, painful, and packed with cotton to help control the bleeding. Your doctor may also prescribe you pain medication. It is also important to limit your physical activity for weeks after your surgery to promote healing and minimise swelling. These include lifting weights, running, and contact sports. These activities can lead to heavy bleeding and can increase your blood pressure. Tips for quicker recovery include:

Not blowing your nose for at least 3 days post-surgery
Wear clothes that have buttons down the front so you won't have to pull any clothing over your head
Elevate your head while sleeping to keep the swelling down

Septoplasty generally requires a local or general anesthetic, depending on the person, the surgeon's preference and also how complex the surgery may be. The procedure is generally performed on an outpatient basis, so you should be able to go home on the same day. Expect improvement and not perfection.