Septoplasty is a minor surgery that offers major benefits for many people. It can open your nasal passages and improve your breathing. While septoplasty is a common procedure, it might not be right for everyone. So, if you have difficulty breathing through your nose, your healthcare provider will need to determine why.
When You're in the Hospital. You had septoplasty to fix the problems in your nasal septum. This surgery takes about 1 to 1 ½ hours. You may have received general anesthesia so you were asleep and pain free.
Most people recover fully in 1 to 2 months. You will have to visit your doctor during the 3 to 4 months after your surgery. Your doctor will check to see that your nose is healing well.
Septoplasty (SEP-toe-plas-tee) is a surgical procedure to straighten the bone and cartilage dividing the space between your two nostrils (septum).
There is usually little pain after surgery. If you experience discomfort, your surgeon may suggest over-the-counter pain medication, such as acetaminophen. People who've had septoplasty can expect very little swelling in the days after surgery.
Your nose is not broken during surgery. The operation takes between 30 and 90 minutes. Afterward, your surgeon may insert splints or soft packing to hold nasal tissue in place, prevent nosebleeds and reduce the risk of scar tissue. Usually, the splints stay in one week.
Surgeon's fees – generally between $5,000 AUD and $ 15,000 AUD, depending on the procedure. The fee will normally include pre and post-operative care. Fees will vary depending on the experience and qualifications of the surgeon and the techniques required to achieve your expectations.
In severe cases, a deviated septum can cause difficulty breathing, frequent nosebleeds, and difficulty sleeping. That small bit of bone and cartilage can have a big impact on your life. Dr. Marc Error highly advises a septoplasty for patients experiencing any breathing difficulties to improve their quality of life.
Septoplasty is a relatively minor procedure and the majority of individuals who are doing administrative roles will normally be back at work after about a week or so. Jobs that are more physically demanding and involve heavy lifting might require a more graduated return to full activities over, say, another week.
If your deviated septum is making breathing difficult and the surgery is required to improve function, Medicare may pay for it. However, if you wish to get rhinoplasty only to improve the appearance of your nose, Medicare will not cover it.
Activity: Bed rest and light activity is the rule for the first 24 hours postoperatively. You may increase your activity level as necessary, but use common sense. Avoid any heavy lifting, bending, straining, or stooping for at least 2 weeks after surgery as this may cause bleeding.
You will have to sleep with your head elevated for 24-48 hours after surgery to help the bleeding slow down and help the swelling resolve. Prior to surgery, set up your bed with at least two pillows so you can prop your head up at night.
You should not drive, operate machinery, drink alcohol, or make any major decisions for at least 24 hours after surgery. Your anesthesia may make you groggy and it will be hard to think clearly. The effects should wear off in about 24 hours. Limit activities that could make you fall or put more pressure on your face.
It's generally done to improve your quality of life. Will a septoplasty change my nasal appearance? If your external nose is very crooked like in the picture above, straightening your septum will make your nose straighter. If the deviated portions are more on the inside, then usually nothing will change.
You will have stitches inside your nose. These stitches are dissolvable and do not need to be removed. Occasionally, a stitch will come loose and it will feel like a long thread. This should be cut rather than pulled out as it may affect your surgical result.
Patients who have splints placed inside their nose after septoplasty may notice that their nose seems slightly wider after surgery. This is not a permanent change in the appearance of the nose because the shape of the nose will return once the splints are removed.
Sneezing can cause further trauma to the fragile, yet sensitive nose and compromise the procedure's results. If possible, avoid sneezing through your nose for the first week or two during recovery to reduce pressure in your nose and airways to keep the sutures intact and minimize bleeding, swelling, and pain.
Once they have recovered, septoplasty patients breathe better than they ever have, and they realize just how poor their breathing was before the surgery. Better sleep, more comfortable breathing, and fewer problems like congestions, nosebleeds, and snoring all help patients lead better lives.
LOSING OR BALANCING YOUR WEIGHT THROUGH SEPTUM CORRECTION
In addition, you may also see a decrease in your weight as the swelling of tissues goes down due to the potential inflammation caused by your deviated septum.
When a deviated septum is severe, it can block one side of the nose and reduce airflow, causing difficulty breathing. The exposure of a deviated septum to the drying effect of airflow through the nose may sometimes contribute to crusting or bleeding in certain people.
An untreated deviated septum can cause obstructive sleep apnea. When left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, heart attacks, diabetes, depression, worsening of ADHD and headaches.
Typical costs
For patients with private health insurance who had a Septoplasty in a private setting across all of Australia, 78% had an out-of-pocket cost. Of those: Patients typically paid: $620, Medicare paid: $770, Insurer typically paid: $850. Typical specialists' fees: $2,500.
This is because sometimes, when extensive work is done, the muscles that are responsible for pulling up the upper lip when you smile, are temporarily weakened. However, in this event as well, the lip and smile will return back to normal as the healing process continues in the early months following the procedure.
Your doctor may advise you to stay off work and away from groups of people for a few days or up to 2 weeks after the operation, depending on the risk. Do not exercise, have a hot bath or bend down for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities sooner.