What is Nasal Surgery?
Nasal surgery includes any surgery performed on the outside or inside of the nose. Nasal surgery may be performed to accomplish the following:
- Improve breathing
- Correct congenital or acquired deformities
- Repair nasal injuries
Septoplasty is the surgical correction of defects and deformities of the nasal septum (the partition between the nostrils). Examples of septoplasty include the following:
- Correction of a deviated septum. A deviated septum is a condition in which the partition (septum) between the nostrils is not in a straight vertical alignment. A deviated septum can cause obstructed airflow. A deviated septum can be caused by a birth defect or injury.
- Correction of cleft defects that affect the nose and nasal cavity
Possible complications
Possible complications associated with nasal surgery may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Infection
- Nosebleed
- Anesthesia problems
Preparing for nasal surgery
The specific type of surgery will be determined by your doctor based on:
- Your age, overall health, and medical history
- Severity of the deformity
- Your tolerance of specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- Your opinion or preference
About the procedure
Anesthetic options may include:
- Local anesthesia with intravenous sedation
- General anesthesia
Average length of procedure: about two hours
Recuperation period:
- Usually up and around in a few days
- Usually return to school or sedentary work a week or so after surgery
- Surgeon will provide guidelines for resuming normal activities
Some possible short-term side effects of surgery:
- A splint may be applied to nose to help maintain the new shape.
- Nasal packs or soft plastic splints may be placed inside the nostrils to stabilize the septum.
- The face will feel puffy.
- The nose may ache.
- You may experience a dull headache, swelling around the eyes, and/or bruising around the eyes.
- A small amount of bleeding is normal in the first few days.
- Small burst blood vessels may appear as tiny red spots on the skin's surface.