Septoplasty

What is Septum Deviation?
The septum is a wall that divides the nose into two equal parts from the inside. It consists of cartilage at the front and a thin piece of bone at the back and is covered with a covering called the skin-like mucosa. On both sides of the nasal cavity, there are turbinates, which provide nasal secretions and are necessary for the continuation of nasal physiology. These organs are 6 pieces, three on each side. Some people may have more. The normal nasal septum is in the midline and the turbinates are of normal size. In the presence of septum deviation, the air passage narrows and turbinates grow.

What else does septum deviation lead to?
The air required for the lungs must pass through the nose. During this transition, air is heated, humidified and cleaned to suit the lungs. The air passage through the nose decreases as a result of the deviated septum. Untreated air from the mouth may cause problems in the upper respiratory tract and lungs. Impairment of air passage due to deviations and hypertrophies also disrupts the movement of normal nasal secretions, making them darker. The patient perceives this as a nasal discharge. As these secretions become darker and lose their properties, the discomfort is further increased and diseases such as sinusitis and polyps become easier. Another problem is the reduction of odor as a result of the odor molecules not being able to reach this region due to the blockage of the olfactory zone in the nose.

Nasal septal surgery (Septoplasti).
The only treatment is to correct this curvature with an operation. In this surgical technique called septoplasty, the curved septum regions are corrected by preserving the cartilage support without damaging the mucosa. In some techniques applied by surgeons, septum cartilage is completely removed as a result of nose falls and deformities are seen. In this method, all operations are performed through the nose and no cuts are seen outside. Anesthesia may be local or general. The risk of general anesthesia applied in equipped operating theaters is quite low with our current facilities. Nasal tampons placed on the nose postoperatively are usually kept for 1-2 days. The tampons used today are soft to absorb the accumulated blood and do not damage the nose. Application and removal do not cause pain.