What is Septoplasty?
Septoplasty is usually needed to help patients who have nasal obstruction that may be causing breathing problems. This may be purely an internal obstruction without any external abnormality.
The main part of your nose that is corrected is the septum. The septum is the wall of bone and cartilage that separates the nose into two separate nostrils.
Why a Septoplasty?
If you have a deviated septum then surgery is the only way to correct this. During the surgery the surgeon will straighten the cartilage and bone that have led to the septum being deviated.
A Septoplasty is usually done without any external scarring, as it is an internal procedure.
Occasionally an external approach requiring a small incision is required. Occasionally, an extra-corporeal septoplasty is required, and in these cases the septum is totally or partly removed, re-fashioned surgically and re-inserted back into the nose.
Other reasons for a Septoplasty
A Septoplasty may be a necessary part of other surgical procedures such as sinus surgery or nasal tumour removal.
