Many people have difficulty breathing through the nose.
Trouble breathing through the nose may be caused by a deviated septum, weak nose cartilage, inferior turbinate hypertrophy, nasal polyps, large adenoids, and rarely a tumor. Depending on the cause of the blockage, various surgical treatments may be available. For some patients, a procedure can be done in the office. For others, surgery can be performed in the operating room. Dr. Eric Carniol and Dr. Paul Carniol are both dual-trained in functional nasal surgery and cosmetic nasal surgery as they are ENT and Plastic Surgeons.
How to know if you have a deviated septum?
Many people have a deviated septum and they do not know. Dr. Carniol uses a small camera, called an endoscope, to look in your nose and examine your septum. If your septum is very crooked, you may benefit from a septoplasty.
How is a septoplasty performed?
Dr. Carniol performs septoplasty in the operating room. Under anesthesia, a small incision is made inside the nose (not visible from the outside). The cartilage or bone that is crooked is then sculpted, allowing the septum to be straight again. After the surgery, a very thin piece of rubber is left in the nostrils for 1 week to allow healing. These are removed in the office.
Can rhinoplasty be covered under insurance?
Difficulty breathing can be due to many causes, including weak cartilage of the nose. For example, if you breath in and the nostril collapses, you may be an excellent candidate for a functional rhinoplasty. In functional rhinoplasty, a septoplasty is also performed for Dr. Carniol to build structural strength to support the nose. In this way, the appearance of the nose can also be changed.
Can a septoplasty fix a bump or a crooked nose?
For many patients, the septum does lead to the nose being crooked. Sometimes a deviated septum can be diagnosed by looking at the bottom of the nose and seeing the septum deviated to one side. Correcting the septum can sometimes lead to improvements in the straightness of the nose. Patients that prefer both cosmetic and functional changes may undergo a septorhinoplasty (both a septoplasty and a rhinoplasty performed at the same time). This is best for patients with a bump, a wide or droopy trip, or a crooked nose.
Can sinus surgery be performed during septoplasty?
Yes, sinus surgery can done during the same visit to the operating room. Dr. Carniol can open blocked sinuses and remove polyps, allowing your airway to be opened.
How is a turbinate reduction performed?
Inferior turbinates (shelves inside the nose) can grow for many reasons. Dr. Carniol will first try to treat the turbinates medically to see if they can shrink without surgery. If that is unsuccessful, Dr. Carniol can perform a procedure to shrink the turbinates. Using the camera and a small instrument called a microdebrider, the tissues are shrunk from the inside, allowing for faster recovery. This is typically done in the operating room but can also be done in the office for select patients.
How can septoplasty and nasal surgery help with snoring?
Septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and even functional rhinoplasty are common procedures that help with snoring. By widening the airway, Dr. Carniol decreases the resistance in the airway, making you less prone to snoring.
What is the follow up after septoplasty and sinus surgery?
Dr. Carniol sees patients 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and sinus surgery typically, and then continues to follow his patients closely after that. These visits are important to allow for faster recovery and making your breathing the best it can be.
