The septum is made up of the bone and cartilage that separates our left nostrils with our right nostrils. It is normal to have a slightly off-centered septum, however, there are some cases when the septum becomes dramatically unbalanced due to congenital diseases or accidents. This is what we call a deviated septum. When a person has a deviated septum, the nose appears crooked and he/she may experience breathing problems or repeated nosebleeds. The corrective surgical procedure done to fix deviated septum is called septoplasty. Take note that septoplasty is not considered as a cosmetic procedure since it is primarily done to correct problems caused by a deviated septum. Rhinoplasty, on the other hand, is a cosmetic surgery done to change the general appearance of the nose. This can be accomplished by decreasing the size or changing the shape of the nose. Septoplasty combined with rhinoplasty results in a procedure called septorhinoplasty.

Here in my Dallas Ft. Worth office, we perform septorhinoplasty on patients who needs a septoplasty and at the same time want an improved nose appearance. Just take note that since septoplasty is a corrective medical procedure and rhinoplasty is a cosmetic procedure, under normal circumstances, only the septoplasty part will be covered by health insurance.

The entire septorhinoplasty procedure can be completed within one to three hours depending on its complexity. Patients usually undergo general anaesthesia and may go home right away after the operation. The doctor starts septorhinoplasty by cutting into the tissues above the septum. After which, bent cartilages and bones are removed and rearranged back in a straight manner. Then, additional aesthetic nose improvements requested by the patient will be done to enhance the overall appearance of the nose. After surgery, the patient may experience complications such as pain, bleeding, bruising, nasal obstruction and the like. These usually subside after the third week, however, it will take months before the operated part settles down and the finish product to show.

If the patient is experiencing problems because of deviated septum and wants to enhance the appearance of his/her nose, the best (if not the only) option is to go through septorhinoplasty. Undergoing this kind of operation will not only cure nasal problems such as difficulty in breathing and infected sinus, it also boosts self-confidence by giving patients improved nasal appearance. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.

Find more information about Dallas Rhinoplasty at MyDallasRhinoplasty.com