You’ll be taken to the operating theatre or procedure room and made comfortable.
Your anaesthetist will insert a cannula into a vein to give you the anaesthetic. You’ll most likely be positioned on your back with your head slightly raised.
Septoplasty is normally performed through the nostrils but may require a small cut on the outside of your nose if the deviation is severe.
Inside your nose, your surgeon lifts off the mucous membrane, the lining of the nose covering the septum. Then the deviated cartilage and bone is removed and/or repositioned. Sometimes a graft made of cartilage from another part of your body may be required to support your nose. Finally, your surgeon repositions the mucous membrane.
You may need stitches to hold the septum and mucous membrane in place but these are usually dissolvable. Some surgeons insert plastic splints and/or pack the nose with cotton gauze.
A septoplasty may be performed at the same time as nasal turbinate surgery, nasal polyp removal or sinus surgery.
This surgery usually takes between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on how complex it is.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Information is provided by HCF in good faith for the convenience of members. It is not an endorsement or recommendation of any form of treatment nor is it a substitute for medical advice, and you should rely on the advice of your treating doctors in relation to all matters concerning your health. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, however HCF takes no responsibility for any injury, loss, damage or other consequences of the use of this information.