Laser-assisted septoplasty is a new technique devised to minimize and simplify surgery under local anesthesia. It takes 10-15 minutes and has a specific clinical application in chronic nasal obstruction because of moderate anterior septal deviation in adults.It is less invasive than traditional septoplasty and has less morbidity, lower medical costs, and faster return to full activity.But it cannot replace traditional septoplasty in moderate to severe septal deviation.
CO2 laser is used in nasal airway surgery to open a blocked nose from enlarged turbinate bones (Turbinectomy) and a deviated septum (Septoplasty). It is also used to help to alleviate snoring and for cosmetic procedures.
The use of a laser in correcting a deviated nasal septum is a relatively new procedure and has gained acclaim because of its speed and rapid recovery time. Unlike a surgical septoplasty in which the nasal cavity is cut open and the nasal septum removed or straightened, laser septoplasty uses a CO2 laser to remove the excess amount of cartilage that grows as a result of a deviated septum. The cartilage removed is larger than normal as a result of a deviated septum. The removal of this cartilage allows the patient to have increased air-flow through their nose without the harmful effects of a regular septoplasty procedure.
(Laser assisted Septoplasty for caudal dislocation of nasal septum being performed under local anesthesia in Jubilee Hospital, Trivandrum South India).
