eMedicine Specialties > Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery > Reconstructive Surgery

Septoplasty: Follow-up

Author: Deborah Watson, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Mar 18, 2009

Outcome and Prognosis

Literature documenting the outcomes of septal surgery is not abundant. Siegal et al and Samad et al have reported patient satisfaction and clinical improvement rates after septoplasty, and both agree that success rates for septoplasty are approximately 70%.3,4

Some debate has occurred over the role of acoustic rhinometry in preoperative assessment and postoperative determination of objective outcomes. Unfortunately, according to Reber et al and Hardcastle et al, efforts to link rhinometry measures with subjective perception of nasal patency have met with mixed results.5,6 At present, traditional measures of outcomes must be relied upon, including subjective patient questionnaires and clinical judgment.

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Breaks, Fractures, and Dislocations Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article, Broken Nose.

Future and Controversies

Endoscopic septoplasty

The enhanced visualization provided by the zero or 30° endoscope, as compared with the headlight, allows for a magnified view and increased accuracy in the evaluation of septal deviations, especially those located more posteriorly. The ability to perform limited resections and achieve better accuracy in technically challenging revisions is an advantage of the endoscopic approach. Additionally, teaching and documentation are facilitated. Several publications describing promising results have emerged, including one 1999 review of 111 patients by Hwang et al.7

Laser-assisted septoplasty

In 1997, an article by Kamami reviewed his experience with 120 septoplasties performed using the carbon dioxide laser.8 The author claimed good results on patients with small-to-moderate anterior septal spurs. The technique involved shaving the spur along with the overlying mucoperichondrium in a caudal-to-cephalic horizontal direction, taking care to burn no more than a 2- to 3-mm vertical strip of mucoperichondrium. The procedure was performed in 5 minutes with the patient under local anesthesia and resulted in quick healing. A 96% good-to-remarkable subjective improvement in nasal obstruction was reported, and adverse effects were negligible. Controlled studies and long-term follow-up observation are needed before this technique has widespread use.

 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Alexander Rivkin, MD, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Septoplasty

Overview: Septoplasty
Workup: Septoplasty
Treatment: Septoplasty
Follow-up: Septoplasty
Multimedia: Septoplasty
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

septoplasty, deviated septum, deviated nasal septum, septum, rhinoplasty, submucous resection, septal repair, septal surgery, nose surgery, nose job, nose repair, nasal obstruction, septal deviation, nasal septal deviation, epistaxis, sinus ostium obstruction, nasal septoplasty, septoplasty surgery

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Deborah Watson, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine
Deborah Watson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Phi Beta Kappa, and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Gregory Branham, MD, Vice-Chair, Director, Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Gregory Branham, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American College of Physician Executives, and Missouri State Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Dean Toriumi, MD, Department of Otolaryngology, Associate Professor, University of Illinois Medical Center
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Christopher L Slack, MD, Otolaryngology-Facial Plastic Surgery, Private Practice, Associated Coastal ENT; Medical Director, Treasure Coast Sleep Disorders
Christopher L Slack, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA, Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and American Head and Neck Society
Disclosure: Covidien Corp Consulting fee Consulting; US Tobacco Corporation unstricted gift unknown

 
 
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