Functional rhinoplasty to correct scoliosis (deviation) of the nasal septum

Scoliosis of the nasal septum, meaning any deviation from the midline, is a very common condition.

It is often due to an injury that the patient may not even remember because it occurred at such a young age or was soon forgotten. At older ages, the details of when and how the injury occurred are more likely to be remembered.

The septum can also be crooked because it is a bit too long to fit inside the nose properly or for genetic reasons such as a cleft lip.

In most people, the deviation is minor and does not affect breathing. However, when it is more pronounced, it can block one side of the nose, making breathing more difficult.

It can also be the main cause of nasal breathing difficulties, sleep apnea, snoring, chronic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal passages), dryness, nosebleeds, chronic sinusitis, headaches, and reduced sense of smell, etc.

Patients also experience poor oxygenation, which has a variety of negative effects on the body.

A number of problems can be indications that you have a deviated septum, preventing proper breathing, and are likely to become more frequent.

The most common combinations of problems associated with a deviated nasal septum are: 

• Breathing difficulties
• Snoring
• Sleep apnea
• Nosebleeds
• Rhinitis/sinusitis
• Headaches
• Reduced sense of smell

At your first examination at the VIP Rhinoplasty Center, Dr. Mireas will examine the inside of your nose with the most modern medical equipment, using an endoscope and a computer to determine whether you have a deviated septum and/or hypertrophy of the turbinates that create problems and prevent proper breathing.

If you do, the solution is nasal septum surgery  performed by an ENT Specialist like Dr.Mireas

Surgery to straighten a deviated septum involves removing and/or moving the cartilaginous and/or bony part of the deviated septum to the intended location, often cauterizing (or removing part/relocating of) the inferior turbinates at the same time.

In this way, we radically change the anatomy of the area, dramatically increasing the amount of air that can pass normally through the nasal passages.

After surgery for a deviated septum, the patient can breathe properly. Snoring and the possibility of apnea when lying down are also reduced. 

After the operation to straighten your deviated septum, Dr. Mireas will give you written instructions to follow during the postoperative period. Read the detailed postoperative instructions here.

• Your recovery will be fast and the postoperative period is painless.
• You will be able to move around immediately after the operation.

After surgery to straighten a deviated nasal septum, it is important to keep the inside of the nose clean with a saline solution and use a special ointment three times a day for about a month.

• No painkillers are necessary, as the procedure does not hurt.
• Antibiotics are prescribed for 3-4 days as a precaution.
• The stitches are inside the nose and are absorbed or fall out on their own without needing to be removed.

To relieve sleep apnea and snoring, surgery to straighten a deviated septum can be combined with:

• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP surgery) or removal of the uvula
• Removal of the tonsils
• Removal of the adenoids (in adults only).

State-of-the-art rhinoplasty using the Piezo system is a new way of shaping the bones in the nose using ultrasonic technology rather than rasps, chisels and osteotomes. 

The ultrasonic technique is much safer and more precise than older methods for straightening a deviated septum. Its results are more predictable, and it significantly reduces the likelihood of undesirable postoperative effects such as swelling and bruising.

As in the case of rhinoplasty, surgery to straighten a deviated septum can safely be performed once the nose is fully developed.

• Surgery is considered safe once the child has stopped growing for a year. Measurement of the child's height should take place under the same conditions, e.g. at night, just before going to bed or in the morning, immediately after getting up.
• The safe age for surgery is usually 16+ for girls and 18+ for boys. An exception can be made for severe cases in which feeding is very difficult and/or there is a significant deformity such as a cleft palate or cleft lip, which may be operated on earlier.

No, there is no swelling after surgery to straighten a deviated septum when it is performed using the Piezo technique.

A very small amount of ointment is usually applied inside the nose – avoiding the need to use gauze (or another kind of) packing, which is uncomfortable for the patient, especially during removal. 

After an operation using the Piezosurgery system, all you have to do is follow a few simple instructions such as washing the inside of the nose with a saline solution and applying a soothing ointment for three or four weeks.

We print out detailed instructions on pre-operative preparations and the postoperative period for all our patients, making it easy to remember and follow these simple but important rules.