Septoplasty is an operation to correct a deformity of the partition between the two sides of the nose. The usual purpose is to improve breathing, but it may also be required to permit adequate examination of the inside of the nose for treatment of polyps, inflammation, tumors, or bleeding. When the nasal septum is deformed, there is no medicine that wall cause it to be straightened, so surgery is the only solution to this problem. The undesirable results that may occur include a hole in the septum, failure to completely improve breathing, post-operative bleeding (usually easy to control), nasal crusting, and very rarely, a change in a appearance.

 

Pre-operative Instructions for Septoplasty Patients

 

The surgery is usually done under general anesthesia in the hospital operating room and takes about thirty minutes. You

should avoid medications containing aspirin and ibuprofen for two weeks prior to the surgery, since these medications can cause more bleeding. The use of Tylenol is permitted. Do not eat or drink 8 hours before the start of the surgery. The anesthesiologists want an empty stomach to prevent emesis from getting into the airway, should vomiting occur. Expect to be observed a minimum of four hours after the surgery in the same day surgery unit. I f you are sick to your stomach and can't keep fluids down, you may have to be admitted overnight until your stomach settles.

Septoplasty surgery