Wednesday, March 25, 2009

FAQ's on Deviated Septum Surgery

What is a deviated septum?

-A deviated septum is when that bone and cartilage of the nose is no longer straight.

How do you get a deviated septum?

-There are numerous ways that a deviated septum can take place. First off a person can actually be born with the condition called congenital. A broken nose can create the deviation. Even old age with normal wear and tear can cause the septum to go crooked.

How much does deviated septum surgery cost?

-Depending on the doctor and the extent of the work that needs to be done, deviated septum surgery can cost between $1500 to $6000.

What is the recovery time after surgery?

-Unless there are complications, deviated septum surgery can be taken care of in the same day and usually take place in an outpatient surgical center. The surgery itself is usually only 1 ½ hours long

What do you need to do to prepare for the Deviated Septum Surgery?

-Two weeks prior to surgery, you will need to stop taking aspirin and other medications that can increase your risk of bleeding. You should have nothing to eat or drink after midnight on the night before your surgery. If your procedure is to be done on an outpatient basis, you will need someone to drive you home and stay with you the first 24 hours.

Does insurance cover Deviated Septum Surgery?

-Insurance coverage will depend on two factors: the reason its being done, and your insurance carrier. It's important to call your insurance carrier and find out the details of your particular plan.

Are there any risks associated?

-There are a number of risks associated with this surgery. Risks can range from a little as nose bleeding for a few days after surgery to a collapsed septum. In some cases a perforated septum or hole in the septum resulting in whistling sounds when breathing. The biggest risk is cerebrospinal fluid leak.

What are the benefits to this surgery?

-From a cosmetic perspective, this surgery can potentially make your nose look better. Depending on the severity of the deviation, it can create breathing problems, and is considered part of the reason for sleep apnea.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Pro's and Con's of Deviated Septum Surgery

Pro’s:

· Breath more freely and less sinus infections.

· Can help in the removal or lessening of effects of sleep apnea

· Improvements to your nose's appearance such as: increasing or decreasing its size, making it wider or narrower, removing bumps, changing its contour, and changing the size or shape of your nostrils

· If you have a deviated septum, surgery known as septoplasty can correct the problem. Some people have blocked or malformed nasal passages which make it difficult to breathe properly.

· The surgery is minimally invasive and you can usually go home the same day.

Con's:

· If too much tissue is removed, you could have a collapsed septum, making the nose look deformed

· A perforated septum, a hole in the septum that whistles when you breathe and can cause bleeding

· As with any surgery, there is always a risk of infection. This infection will be treated with an antibiotic

· You may experience numbness of the nose, cheeks, and upper lip. Numbness in the tip of the nose may take several months to return to normal. Other areas will resolve more quickly.

· One of the extremely rare but serious complications of deviated septum surgery is cerebrospinal fluid leak. Cerebrospinal fluid is the fluid that travels through the ventricals of the brain Nasal obstruction due to failure to straighten the septum or later re-deviation of the septum, or the re- growth or swelling of the turbinates.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Deviate Septum Surgery - What and Why?


Why deviated septum surgery? Before this question can be answered effectively, a brief introduction into what a deviated septum is needs to be examined.

The nasal septum is the area of the nose that separates the nasal passages. The septum is made up of both bone and cartilage.

A deviated septum is when that bone and cartilage of the nose is no longer straight. There are a few ways that a septum may deviate, one way is at birth. This type of deviation is called congenital.

A more common way is by injury, caused by a broken nose. Even old age can create bending from one side or the other. However the deviation happens it can cause breathing problems and even more serious affects such as sleep apnea.

The technical name for deviated septum surgery is called Septoplasty. Other common terms for this surgery are submucous resection, or septal reconstruction. This surgery along with other procedures can be used to treat sinusitis, or the infection or inflammation of the lining of the sinus cavities, and sleep apnea.

A visit to the doctors office will determine whether deviated septum surgery is necessary. The doctor will start out by using an endoscope, a thin lighted instrument, to view your nasal passages and the shape your septum. The surgery typically takes between 1 to 1 ½ hours, usually under local or general anesthesia. In most cases this is an outpatient surgery.

The septum and the entire nasal passage is covered over with a soft tissue layer, known as the nasal mucosa. This mucosa has to be separated from the underlying cartilage and bone. The doctor will enter in through the nostrils and make small incisions to the mucosa and bone. The doctor will then trim and clean up the bent cartilage, and replace the mucosa over the exposed bone and cartilage.

Deviated septum surgery or Septoplasty is not for everyone. Seeing a doctor to determine your condition can help determine if the surgery for your deviated septum is necessary.