Septoplasty: When Surgery Is Actually Necessary

A slight deviation of the nasal septum is anatomically normal — a perfectly straight septum is rare. Surgery is indicated not by the deviation itself but by its consequences: chronic congestion, impaired nasal breathing, snoring, recurrent sinusitis, or headaches.

Septoplasty is correction of the nasal septum without changing the external shape of the nose. It is performed through internal incisions and leaves no visible scars. The procedure is focused purely on restoring breathing function. If the patient also wants to change the shape of the nose, the procedures are combined into rhinoseptoplasty.

After surgery, nasal packing or silicone splints are placed to hold the septum in its corrected position. They are removed within 24–72 hours. For the first few days nasal breathing will be blocked — this is temporary. Within 1–2 weeks, most patients report significant improvement.

Important: surgery resolves the anatomical problem but does not eliminate allergic rhinitis or chronic inflammation. If congestion has a mixed cause — surgical treatment is supplemented with medication. This is why thorough diagnostics before the procedure are essential.