Overview
Septoplasty is a nasal surgery performed on people experiencing breathing problems, head pain, nasal congestion, and sinus problems due to a deviated septum.
A deviated septum occurs when the nasal wall or the septum is crooked or deviated. Septoplasty restores normal breathing function by unblocking airflow and provides relief to the debilitating symptoms.
A septoplasty procedure is safe and minimally invasive. It significantly improves nasal symptoms like breathing difficulties, nasal pressure, and snoring problems. It improves sleep quality, and your mental well-being, and enhances the quality of life.
What are the steps of septoplasty?
Septoplasty procedure steps are as follows:
Step 1 – anesthesia
Septoplasty is an in-office procedure and is mostly done under local anesthesia. The doctor will inject a pain-numbing medication to numb the area. During septoplasty, the anesthetic is directly injected into the nasal tissues. You will be awake during the surgery but not feel any pain or discomfort. The doctor may also choose to inject intravenous (IV) sedation.
In more complicated cases, the doctor may prefer to perform the surgery under general anesthesia.
Step 2 – making the incision
The procedure is done inside the nose. The aim is to reposition and align the nasal septum into its correct place. A half-inch small incision is made in the side of the nose to lift the mucosa that covers and protects the septum.
Step 3 – separation of the mucosal lining
This is a crucial step. The mucosal lining is fragile and is gently lifted from the septum. Care is taken not to make a hole or tear in the mucosal lining.
Step 4 – correction of the deviated septum
The doctor may trim and remove some sections of the cartilage and bones to reposition and reshape the septum and other nasal structures. The mucosal lining is left behind.
Step 5 – closure of the mucosal lining
Once the deviated septum is straightened and repositioned, the mucosal lining is repositioned in its place and sutured back with dissolvable sutures.
Step 6 – placement of splints
Soft splints or padding are placed to prevent nose bleeds, keep the nasal tissues in place, and prevent scar tissue formation. The splints can be removed after a week.
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What is septoplasty surgery recovery time?
Initial recovery from septoplasty may take place within a week. The swelling may subside within three to four days. Normal activities can be resumed within 3-4 weeks. Full recovery may take three to six months or even a year.
How to recover from septoplasty surgery?
Complete recovery from septoplasty surgery may take some time.
Septoplasty recovery day by day post-surgery:
Day one to day two:
On the first day of your surgery, you will feel some discomfort, nasal swelling, and congestion.
You may experience some nose drainage for the first one to three days. This is normal.
Keep your head elevated even when you are sleeping. This helps to reduce the nasal bleeding or inflammation.
Stay away from strenuous activities and take full rest.
Do not blow your nose under any circumstances. This may dislodge the splints and impact the incision area.
Get your appointment fixed with your doctor about the removal of your dressing, splints, and paddings.
You should plan to take a week off from work.
Wear contact lenses instead of glasses to avoid injury or pressure on the nose.
Day two to the first week:
The symptoms of swelling, nasal drainage, and bruising will gradually improve within the first week of surgery.
You can slowly resume your normal activities but refrain from heavy-duty work.
Continue to refrain from blowing your nose as this may disrupt the healing process.
Keep attending follow-up appointments with the doctor.
Week two to six weeks:
As you start healing, you can gradually increase your activities and resume some light exercises. Under no circumstances should you indulge in contact sports or lift heavy loads.
Take precautions for nasal care. Continue nasal sprays and avoid blowing your nose.
Follow a well-balanced and nutritious diet that boosts your healing process.
Week seven to one year:
Complete healing of the nasal cartilage, bones, and tissues may take six months to a year. With passing days, you will experience improvement in nasal breathing and nasal functions.
By this time, you can resume all your normal activities and even follow your normal exercise routine.
As you see a significant improvement, keep visiting your doctor for a thorough checkup post-surgery.
