Septoplasty and Deviated Septum Surgery Guide
By Nose Surgeon Dr. Michel Siegel – Houston, Texas Facial Plastic Surgeon
Fixing a deviated or crooked nasal septum is done through an operation called a “septoplasty”. The way the septum is crooked is unique to each person – “no two septa are crooked in the same way.” For this reason, a septoplasty should be tailored to each patient’s circumstance.
SEPTOPLASTY BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES
The Septoplasty Procedure
Dr. Siegel’s approach to septoplasty utilizes “cartilage sparing” techniques. The obstruction is fixed and cartilage is preserved, rather than fixing the obstruction by removing cartilage- a technique called “submucous resection.”
Dr. Siegel performs the septoplasty procedure through seamless nose incisions – all the incisions are hidden inside the nose. The surgery takes between 45 minutes to an hour, and it requires no overnight hospital stay. There is no bruising or swelling outside the nose after surgery, and Dr. Siegel uses no packing inside the nose after surgery.
A septoplasty can be performed as a single procedure by itself to correct breathing, or in combination with a cosmetic rhinoplasty if the shape of the nose is to be changed at the same time as the nasal obstruction is corrected.
About the Nasal Septum
In Latin, the word Septum means a “partition” or “dividing wall”. A persons septum is a long piece of cartilage and bone that separates the right and left nasal passages. Structurally, the septum provides the nose with support for the bridge and tip of the nose.
In the diagram to the left, the length of the septum is highlighted in blue. You will notice that the septum is very long, and extends almost the entire length to the back of the throat.
About the Deviated Nasal Septum
The nasal septum separates the left and right airways in the nose, dividing the two nostrils and, as such, it is important for breathing. The diagram on the right shows the septum (in red) in its ideal mid-line position.
Because the nasal septum is in the middle of the nasal cavity, there is enough room for breathing on the left and right sides of the nose.
A deviated or crooked septum is one of the most common causes of nasal obstruction. A deviation of the septum can be the result of an injury to the nose or just “growing crooked” during otherwise normal development.
The diagram below show how a bowing of the septum to the left or right can cause an obstruction on one side of the nose that reduces room for breathing.
The photo below left shows a deviated septum on a patient looking up. The red arrow shows how a deviated septum, in this case to the left, is causing almost complete nasal blockage.
The photo above right is of the same patient after combined septoplasty and rhinoplasty. It can be seen that now both nasal passages are un-obstructed.
Would you benefit from Deviated Septum surgery? Call the office of Dr. Siegel today to schedule your consultation. Call toll-free at 1-866-920-3223 or click here to use the online contact form.
