The nasal septum is a structure found inside the nose and is made up of bone and cartilage. Its role is to divide the nasal cavities in two, as it is located in the middle of them. In the female population it develops until the age of 16, while in men it usually takes its final form until the age of 18. If the nasal septum deviates to one side or the other, it poses obstacles in the person’s daily life. To solve this specific issue, septoplasty is recommended.

Nasal septum: Role & causes of scoliosis

The role of the nasal septum is to allow air to flow smoothly through the nasal cavity, humidify and regulate its temperature. At the same time, it facilitates the normal functioning of the sense of smell. Deviation of the nasal septum to one side or the other is defined as scoliosis of the nasal septum, and may involve the bony or cartilaginous part of it, or both. This particular condition is formed in some cases due to a hereditary predisposition, while at other times normal childbirth can exert pressure on the nose causing scoliosis in the nasal septum. This condition can also be caused due to some injury.

Scoliosis of the nasal septum symptoms

In the case of an advanced degree of scoliosis, symptoms appear which make the patient’s daily life quite difficult. More specifically, the patient has difficulty breathing through the nose, a condition that becomes more evident during intense physical activities. The same difficulty manifests itself while the person is sleeping, as a result of which he is forced to keep his mouth open during sleep. This leads to regular occurrence of mouth dryness and repeated episodes of pharyngitis.

At the same time, the patient often snores while sleeping, while sleep apnea can occur, i.e. breathing stops during sleep. This situation leads to a strong feeling of fatigue as well as problems in the cardiorespiratory system. Other problems that scoliosis of the nasal septum can cause are the occurrence of regular cases of sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infections and epistaxis, i.e. bleeding from the nasal cavity.

Scoliosis of the nasal septum diagnosis

The diagnosis of this particular condition is carried out by an otolaryngologist through nasal endoscopy with a flexible endoscope. In this way, the extent of the scoliosis is determined. Endoscopy also identifies the existence of additional factors that prevent breathing through the nose, such as nasal polyps or tumors, hypertrophic adenoids or hypertrophy in the nasal sinuses. Regarding the treatment of the condition, the method that offers permanent results is septoplasty.

Septoplasty: Surgical process

Correction or plastic surgery of the nasal septum is performed with the septoplasty method through an incision inside the nasal cavity. With this incision access is gained and consequently correction is made to the bony and cartilaginous structures that deviate and cause the scoliosis. The incision and the mucosa lining the nasal septum are then sutured with special absorbable sutures.

The nasal septum is corrected without making changes to the shape of the nose. This operation can be performed with the use of special endoscopes, which allow detailed and precise manipulations and consequently the achievement of an excellent final result. Nasal septum straightening or plastic surgery is performed after the patient undergoes general anesthesia, lasting up to an hour. The duration of the operation is directly related to the complexity of the problem.

Septoplasty: With which other surgeries can be combined?

If, along with the scoliosis of the diaphragm, other otorhinolaryngological diseases coexist, such as the existence of nasal polyps, tumors or hypertrophic adenoids or nasal conchae, then ENT Surgeon in Athens Dr. Olga Papadopoulou performs combined operations that simultaneously resolve the specific issues. Septoplasty is therefore combined with cauterization of the nasal conchae, endoscopic surgery of the nose and paranasal cavities, or adenoid removal. If there is an aesthetic problem with the shape or size of the nose, rhinoplasty can be performed at the same time.