Functional Nose Surgery

Most people associate the term nose job with a procedure called rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgery meant to address cosmetic flaws, irregularities, and meet a patient’s aesthetic preferences. Septoplasty is another large part of nose surgery. Septoplasty is nose surgery that deals with a patient’s functional concerns. Septoplastyis commonly performed to address functional problems like deviated septum, crooked septum, and cleft defects.  It can help patients who suffer from health, breathing and sleeping problems associated with these issues.

What Can A Septoplasty Address?

The nasal septum is comprised of both cartilage and bone that should run straight down the center of the nose separating the two nostrils equally. This structure is often congenitally malformed, or can be altered by physical injury. Septoplasty is often performed on patients who have only breathing issues, but a deviated septum may also be attended to during a rhinoplasty surgery. Rhinoplasty aims to create balanced and natural visual harmony. Because the septum creates the foundation for the ridge of the nose, it is often straightened or otherwise manipulated during rhinoplasty. This assures that the nose is not only aesthetically pleasing, but functional as well. The surgeon will be certain to create a nose with a straight and functional septum with air passages that are fully functional and free of any internal obstruction.

During both septoplasty and rhinoplasty surgery, the surgeon will first examine the extent to which the septum needs to be adjusted and determine whether an obstruction or blockage exists. A specialist in nose surgery must have excellent communication with the patient in order to properly understand their primary concerns and to explain exactly what will take place during a procedure. In addition, the surgeon will need to explain the results patients should expect.

The Procedure

During the procedure, the doctor will be able to pull back the mucosa lining enough to reposition, trim, or reshape the septum to increase its efficiency. The lining is then carefully replaced to assure that functionality is more than perfectly restored. After the nasal passages are free of obstruction, the nose is able to drain more efficiently. This can reduce sinus pressure and alleviate breathing, health, and sleeping problems. Depending on the extent of the procedure necessary and whether it is combined with rhinoplasty surgery, a septoplasty can often be performed through incisions carefully positioned inside the nostrils. This will leave no visible external scars after the procedure has been completed.

Patients who suffer from any of the above conditions should contact a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in nose procedures for a personal consultation, like Dr. Paul Nassif. During a consultation patients will obtain more specific information on septoplasty, and undergo an assessment to help determine whether they are a good candidate for septoplasty or a similar procedure.