There is a bony partition in the human nose on the midline which separates the left and right chambers. This partition is called septum and it tends to get deviated due to the pressures exerted on the baby during the growth and particularly during embryonic period and the deviation worsens after the birth due to dissymmetrical growth. Traumas caused during the childhood could also lead to septum deviation.
In Septoplasty, the surgeon tries to correct this deviation while preserving the proper functions of the nose and avoiding perforation of the septum. Most people have this deviation somewhere in the septum but if it leads breathing problems then septoplasty has to be performed.
Septum plays an important role in upright posture of the nose. There is an expression saying that the nose goes the ways septum does. For those who intend to do septoplasty, it is recommended to do it in future along with the rhinoplasty so that the cartilages could be used for the other operation. The cartilage which is yield from the septum or from the cosmetic surgery can be used again in another cosmetic surgery so it is kept in an alcohol container in refrigerator without freezing.
The mesh works are removed 3 to 5 days after the surgery. Antibiotics should still be taken until the tampons are there inside and the patients have to avoid blowing their nose up to 10 days after the operation.
In patients struggling with allergy and sensitivity, the real problem lies in the mucosa but not the cartilage or bone, so in such cases septoplasty worsens the swelling and it is suggested to pursue medical treatment rather than operation.
