Septoplasty is the correction of the deviated part of the nasal septum. What is the nasal septum?

The nasal septum is the wall of cartilage and bone that divides the nostrils into two and ensures the smooth airflow. It may not always be straight in the midline.

Although septum deviation is seen in most people, it does not have to be operated in any case because it does not anyway lead to clinical complaints. Surgery is needed if this deviation causes difficulty breathing, noisy breathing during sleep, sinusitis, headache, and frequent nosebleeding.

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Septum deviation may not be the only reason of preventing the airflow. A detailed medical examination may reveal the narrowing of internal or external valves (the narrowest areas where air enters) in addition to the deviated septum. Therefore, additional nasal valve surgery may be needed.

​After septoplasty, eating begins in a short time. Cold should be applied in the first 24 hours. The patient can have a shower the next day without getting the bands wet. The tamponade is removed within 2-3 days and the bandage within 7 days. The patient can return to work after 1 week, do light exercises after 2 weeks and heavy exercises after 4 weeks and wear glasses after 3-4 weeks. Bruising and swelling on the face may be seen very rarely, but they lasts 1-2 weeks. The patient recovers at the end of 6 months to 1 year completely. (The timeframes may vary depending on the additional procedures.)