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Septoplasty and Turbinectomy
(Nasal Airway Surgery and Surgical Instructions)

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Medical Author:

Rahul K. Shah, MD, FAAP, FACS

Rahul K. Shah, MD, FAAP, FACS

Dr. Shah obtained his BA/MD from Boston University and completed his Otolaryngology residency at Tufts University followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children's Hospital Boston at Harvard University. After fellowship, he joined the faculty of Children's National Medical Center in 2006. Dr. Shah is an active clinical researcher and has received numerous awards for his research.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Septoplasty and turbinectomy facts*

*Septoplasty and turbinectomy facts Medically Edited by: Charles P. Davis, MD, PhD

• Septoplasty is surgery to correct a deformity in the nasal septum. Turbinectomy is the surgical reduction or removal of an enlarged turbinate (nasal tissue) inside the nose. Both surgeries are done mainly to improve airflow or improve sinus drainage but may have other purposes such as nosebleed control.
  
  
• There are risks and complications for all surgeries; those for septoplasty and turbinectomy surgeries are infrequent but include the following: nasal obstruction, bleeding, chronic nasal drainage, eye damage, numbness of facial structures, septal perforation, alteration of sense of smell or taste, and failure to resolve any associated nasal or sinus problem.
  
  
• Before these surgeries, the patient needs to have their doctors (surgeon and anesthesiologist) design a plan of preparation (for example, what medicines not to take before surgery) for the day of surgery.
  
  
• These surgeries last about an hour or so, and the patient is closely monitored because the patient will usually be completely sedated. If there are rarely complications, usually the patient can go home the same day as the surgery.
  
  
• After surgery, the patient will need someone to transport the patient home and to help remind the patient to keep their head elevated and to avoid any straining during bowel movements or exercise to avoid nose bleeding. Swelling of the face and nose is common; ice packs can help reduce this problem.
  
  
• Following instructions after these surgeries is very important; the success of the surgery may depend on this after-surgery care. Patients will be instructed about nasal packing, its removal, the necessary follow-up examination and the important use of nasal irrigation to reduce nasal crusting or scab formation. The surgical site for at least a week after the surgery is very sensitive to "normal" activity such as lifting objects, wearing glasses, bending over, nasal congestion and other activities and situations should be avoided.
  
  
• Patients who, after surgery, experience a sudden increase in nose bleeding, a fever greater than 101.5 F (38.6 C), persistent sharp pain or increased swelling should contact their surgeon immediately.

Septoplasty and turbinectomy (nasal airway surgery instructions) introduction

The following information is provided to help patients and their families prepare for surgery septoplasty and turbinectomy (nasal airway surgery), and to understand more clearly the associated benefits, risks, and complications. Patients are encouraged to ask their doctor any questions they feel necessary to help better understand these procedures. Nasal airway surgery is almost always performed through the nostrils without the need for external incisions.

In following sections, instructions are designed to help individuals recover from nasal airway surgery as easily as possible. Taking care of oneself can prevent complications. The doctor that performs the surgery will be happy to answer any related questions about these procedures.

What is a septoplasty and what is a turbinectomy?

Nasal obstruction is often caused by a deviated or crooked septum or enlarged tissues (inferior turbinates) within the nose. A septoplasty is an operation to correct a deformity of the partition (the septum) between the two sides of the nose. A turbinectomy is the surgical reduction or actual removal of an abnormally enlarged turbinate from inside the nose to improve breathing.

The goals of nasal airway surgery include the following:

• to improve airflow through the nose,
  
  
• to control nosebleeds,
  
  
• to enhance visualization of the inside of the nose (to identify other nasal problems),
  
  
• to relieve nasal or sinus headaches associated with swelling of the inside of the nose, and
  
  
• to promote drainage of the sinus cavities.

Picture of the anatomy of the sinuses