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Patients often use the words septoplasty and rhinoplasty as if they meant the same thing. They are related, and they are sometimes performed together, but they have different goals. Understanding the difference helps you ask the right questions about your own nose.
Septoplasty: for breathing
The septum is the wall of cartilage and bone that divides the inside of the nose into two sides. When it is bent, it can narrow one or both airways. Septoplasty straightens the septum through the nostrils. It does not change how your nose looks from the outside, and there are no visible scars.
- Goal: to improve airflow through the nose.
- Typical signs: a blocked nose on one or both sides, mouth breathing, snoring or poor sleep.
- In my practice: general anaesthesia, about one hour, a day-case procedure. The packing is usually removed around day 3, and international patients usually need a 3 to 4 day stay.
Rhinoplasty: for shape, and function
Rhinoplasty changes the outer shape of the nose: the bridge, the tip, the width or the overall profile. As an ENT surgeon, I never plan the shape in isolation. Making a nose smaller or changing its structure also affects how air moves through it, so breathing is evaluated as part of every rhinoplasty plan.
- Goal: a natural shape in harmony with your face, without compromising breathing.
- In my practice: mostly the open technique with piezo instruments, and the closed technique in selected cases.
- International patients usually plan a 7-day stay, when the splint is removed.
When both are needed: septorhinoplasty
Many patients who want a change in shape also have a deviated septum, sometimes without being aware of it. In these cases, both can be corrected in a single operation, called septorhinoplasty. This means one anaesthesia, one recovery period and one trip.
How to know which one you need
- Describe your concernsIs it mainly breathing, mainly appearance, or both?
- Have a full examinationThe septum, turbinates, nasal valves and the outer structure of the nose are assessed together.
- Agree on a planOnly then is the right procedure, or combination, chosen.
If you are unsure which procedure is right for you, an online video consultation is a good place to start. We can talk through your symptoms and goals before any decision is made.
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