Septoplasty cost in India

Know More About Procedure & Surgery

What is Septoplasty?

Septoplasty is a surgical procedure to straighten the bone and cartilage dividing the space between your two nostrils (septum). When the septum is crooked, it's known as a deviated septum. A deviated septum can make it harder to breathe through your nose and can increase the risk of sinus infections due to poor drainage. During septoplasty, your nasal septum is repositioned to the middle of your nose. This may require your surgeon to cut and remove parts of your nasal septum before reinserting them in the proper position.

Reason of Septoplasty

A crooked septum is common. But when it's severe, a deviated septum can block one side of your nose and reduce airflow, causing difficulty breathing through one or both sides of your nose. Septoplasty straightens the nasal septum by trimming, repositioning and replacing cartilage, bone or both. If you experience symptoms — such as difficulty breathing through your nose — that affect your quality of life, you may consider surgery to fix a deviated septum.

Risks Involved in Septoplasty

Septoplasty carries risks, such as bleeding, infection and an adverse reaction to the anesthetic. Other possible risks specific to septoplasty include:

• Continued symptoms, such as nasal obstruction
• Excessive bleeding
• A change in the shape of your nose
• A hole in the septum
• Decreased sense of smell
• Clotted blood in the nasal space that has to be drained
• Temporary numbness in the upper gum, teeth or nose

 You may also need additional surgery if the outcome of septoplasty doesn't match your expectations.

Preparation

Before the procedure, you may ask to meet doctor to discuss the below mentioned things

• Your medical history. Your doctor will ask about conditions you have or have had, as well as any current medications or supplements that you're taking.
• A physical examination. You'll have a physical exam, including any relevant tests. The doctor will inspect your skin and the inside and outside of your nose.
• Photographs. Someone from your doctor's office may take photographs of your nose from different angles. Your doctor can use these photos for discussion before septoplasty or for reference during and after surgery.
• A discussion of your expectations. He or she will explain what septoplasty can and can't do for you and what your results might be.

Food and medications

Take only those medications approved or prescribed by your surgeon.

Other precautions

If you smoke, stop smoking. Smoking increases your risk of having problems during and after surgery. Smoking can slow the healing process.

During the Procedure

A septoplasty takes anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to complete, depending on the complexity of the condition. You’ll be under either local or general anesthesia, depending on what you and your doctor decide is best for you.

In a typical procedure, the surgeon makes an incision on one side of your nose to access the septum. They next lift up the mucous membrane, which is the protective covering of the septum. Then the deviated septum is moved into the right position. Any barriers, such as extra pieces of bone or cartilage, are removed. The last step is the repositioning of the mucous membrane. You may need stitches to hold the septum and membrane in place. However, packing the nose with cotton is sometimes enough to keep them in position.

After the procedure

To further decrease the chances of bleeding and swelling, your doctor may ask that you follow these precautions for several weeks after surgery. Depending on the extent of your surgery, you may not need to do all of these:

• Elevate your head when you're sleeping.
• Don't blow your nose for several weeks.
• Wear clothes that fasten in the front; don't pull clothing, such as shirts or sweaters, over your head.
• Avoid strenuous activities, such as aerobics and jogging, for up to five weeks to avoid potentially causing a nosebleed.

Recovery

Septoplasty is usually performed as an outpatient procedure unless major complications arise. Your nose will be swollen, painful, and packed with cotton to control bleeding. The packing can be removed a day or two after surgery. Your doctor will also prescribe pain medication as needed. Your doctor will likely ask you to avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, and other drugs that thin the blood. This is done to lower the risk of bleeding problems after the procedure.

You should also limit your physical activity for several weeks after surgery to minimize swelling and promote healing. This includes most forms of intense exercise, such as running, lifting weights, and playing contact sports. These activities can increase your blood pressure and lead to heavy bleeding.

Tips for a quicker recovery include:

• elevating your head at night to keep the swelling down
• not blowing your nose for at least three days after surgery
• wearing shirts that button up in the front so you won’t have to pull clothing over your head.