What is Septoplasty?
A deviated nasal septum can be the cause for many clinical symptoms. They are sinusitis, sleep apnea and also cosmetic disfigurement.Surgery to correct a deviated septum is called a septoplasty. Septoplasty is most commonly performed to help relieve nasal obstruction. Sometimes, septoplasty is a necessary part of other surgical procedures like sinus surgery or nasal tumor removal.
During a septoplasty, the surgeon will attempt to straighten the cartilage and bone that have led to the septum being deviated. During the procedure, the lining (the mucosa) is first raised off the cartilage and bone. The cartilage and bone can then be reshaped. Sometimes, portions of the cartilage and bone need to be removed. The lining is then laid back down.
Traditional septoplasty is done in the operating room under local or general anesthesia.
You may have splints or packing and sutures inside your nose after surgery. The nasal packs are kept 48 hrs and splints are removed after 10 days or so.
Laser Septoplasty vs. Traditional Septoplasty
Laser septoplasty is a new surgical procedure which is done for the deviated nasal septum and getting popular.
The laser septoplasty has now proved to be the best treatment for a deviated nasal septum which may be minimal to moderate. The laser septoplasty is easier and better than the traditional septoplasty.
The surgical procedure of laser septoplasty is very simple and less time consuming. The laser septoplasty is done under local anesthesia. The laser septoplasty uses carbon dioxide laser. This is performed as a day case procedure.
Before undergoing a laser septoplasty, it is essential to undergo all the preoperative investigations as for any other surgery.
The procedure for laser septoplasty is as follows: under local anesthesia, using carbon dioxide laser, the anterior spur is operated. It is done to correct small to moderate anterior deviation of the nasal septum. The carbon dioxide laser is used to burn the anterior nasal spur along with the mucoperichondrium. The tip of the spur leaving behind the base is removed. A vertical strip of the mucoperichondrium of about 2 to 3 mm is removed in the horizontal direction in caudal to cephalic manner. Thus the whole procedure takes hardly about 5 to 10 minutes.
The laser septoplasty is an efficient procedure where there is minimal or no bleeding. This is very comfortable for the patient and the operating surgeon too. There is no post operative wound infection with the laser septoplasty.
But the laser septoplasty involves the usage of specially designed devices which some surgeons may not be able to afford and also it requires some experience to work with the laser. Thus the cost of the laser septoplasty procedure s such is costlier when compared to the traditional septoplasty.
But the hospital stay and the need to take day offs with the traditional septoplasty which is expensive is not the matter with laser septoplasty. The patient can return to his day to day activities on the same day after taking some rest. There is no need to stay in the hospital either.
The post operative care for laser septoplasty is also minimal. All the patient needs is a little amount of analgesics to alleviate the pain which is minimal. Also the patient needs to take some antibiotics to avoid post operative infections which are also minimal. There is no need of nasal packing to avoid bleeding. There is minimal or no post operative bleeding with the laser septoplasty.
For Consultation:
OR
Make Physical Consultation with-
Dr.K.O.Paulose FRCS, Consultant ENT Surgeon
Jubilee Hospital Trivandrum Kerala South India
Tel. 0471 3080300 , 0471 233 4561
OP Clinic Mon-Wed-Friday 9 AM -12 Noon
Operation Days Tues-Thu-Saturday 8 AM -2 PM
To Reach Jubilee Hospital: jubileehospitaltrivandrum