Deviated Septum Surgery

Nasal septum deviation is an unnatural condition in which the top of the cartilaginous ridge leans to the left or the right, thus causing an obstruction of the affected nasal passage. Nasal septum is a narrow wall made up of thin bone, which is in the back, and the cartilage in the front of the nose, and separates the two nasal cavities or nostrils. Quite often the nasal septum departs from the exact centerline, and is only considered if the shift is substantial or is adversely affecting the patient. Most of the people with nasal septum deviation are normally unaware of it until they experience some pain or discomfort.

Causes of Nasal Septum Deviation

A deviated nasal septum may be a condition already present at the time of childbirth. It usually occurs when the fetus is still developing but becomes apparent upon birth. The most common cause of nasal septum deviation are nasal injuries. Any type of accidents or injuries that may strike the nasal septum can cause it to be knocked out of position, thus resulting in a deviated nasal septum. The nasal septum may also bend to one side or the other due to aging, hence, very rarely people have a perfectly straight septum.

Symptoms of Nasal Septum Deviation

A person having a minor deviated septum may not know that he/she has it, but if the person is having severe septum deviation, he/she may experience the following symptoms:

• Nasal congestion is the most common symptom of deviated nasal septum which causes postnasal drip. Due to this, the mucus gets blocked from coming out of the nose, and instead of dripping it stays at the back of the throat.
• The person may have obstruction in one or both nostrils which can cause difficulty in breathing, especially if he/she has a cold, allergies, or any kind of upper respiratory tract infection.
• The patient may have recurring sinus infections which may be marked with frequent headaches and facial pains.
• The patient may also suffer from sleeping disorders like snoring or sleep apnea.
• Frequent nose bleeding is another symptom as the septum becomes dry.

Treatment for Deviated Nasal Septum

Though there are many medications like decongestants, antihistamines and nasal cortisone sprays to treat deviated septum, these are just temporary fixes. However, to permanently cure this problem, deviated septum surgery or septoplasty is required.

Deviated Nasal Septum Surgery
Deviated septum surgery is performed to repair the deviated nasal septum by repositioning it at the center of the nose. Before the surgery begins, endoscopy is conducted to have a detailed look at the nasal passages and the shape of the patient's nasal septum. After this, a local or general anesthesia is given to the patient and then the deviated septum surgery procedure starts. The operation primarily comprises peeling away the mucus membranes from the cartilage or bone. The surgeon may cut or remove the obtruding parts of septum before reinserting it in the proper position. The surgeon will trim or straighten the bent cartilage and replace the mucosa over the cartilage and bone. As the operation is conducted in the nostrils, no incisions are performed through the nose. After the reinserting is done, the linings are then stitched back to cover the septum.

The surgery for deviated septum may last for 45 - 60 minutes and involves hardly any pain or bleeding. Though most of the people are able to get discharged one or two hours after the surgery, it takes approximately two to three weeks for complete deviated septum surgery recovery. Deviated septum surgery costs somewhere between $1800 to $2200, though it may vary as per the severity of the nasal septum displacement. Dull headache, swelling and bruising around the eyes, puffy face, red spots on the skin's surface, swollen nose, etc., are some of the deviated septum surgery side effects which may resolve with time.

The level of improvement expected with the deviated septum surgery usually depends upon the severity of the nasal septum deviation. In some cases, the surgery also helps in treating chronic sinusitis, nasal obstruction, inflammation or nose bleeding, and even sleeping disorders like sleep apnea.