Chronic difficulty moving air through the nose, known as nasal obstruction, is a common issue that significantly impacts a person’s quality of life. This blockage can severely affect sleep quality, limit physical activity, and contribute to overall poor health. When medical treatments like nasal sprays, decongestants, or allergy medications fail to provide sustained relief, surgical intervention becomes necessary to correct structural blockages.
Fixing the Central Dividing Wall
Septoplasty addresses structural issues within the nose by focusing on the nasal septum. The septum is the wall of cartilage and bone that divides the nose into two passages. If this wall is crooked, a condition called a deviated septum, it narrows the airway and causes significant breathing impairment.
To straighten the septum, the surgeon works through incisions made inside the nose, lifting the protective lining to access the underlying cartilage and bone. Portions of the septum may be carefully trimmed, reshaped, or repositioned to center the wall and remove the obstruction.
Reducing Internal Airway Obstruction
Chronic congestion can result from enlarged structures along the sidewalls, even if the septum is straight. Turbinate Reduction addresses this issue. Turbinates are small, shelf-like structures that filter, warm, and humidify inhaled air. Allergies or chronic inflammation can cause these turbinates to become permanently swollen, a state known as hypertrophy.
Reduction procedures decrease the size of these structures without compromising their protective function. Surgeons may use minimally invasive techniques such as radiofrequency ablation or submucosal resection. Radiofrequency uses low-temperature energy to shrink the tissue inside the turbinate, while submucosal resection removes excess tissue beneath the outer lining.
Supporting the External Nasal Structure
Nasal Valve Repair corrects the collapse of the external nasal framework, a significant cause of breathing difficulty. The nasal valve is the narrowest point of the airway, located just inside the nostril where the septum meets the lateral wall. This area is prone to collapse, particularly during strong inhalation, creating a dynamic obstruction.
Repair involves strengthening this weak area to prevent the side walls from collapsing inward. Surgeons frequently utilize cartilage grafts, often called spreader grafts, which are small strips of the patient’s own cartilage harvested from the septum or ear. These grafts are secured between the septum and the lateral nasal cartilage to physically prop open and widen the angle of the internal nasal valve.
Restoring Sinus Drainage and Function
Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) targets the underlying cause of congestion and inflammation in the air-filled cavities surrounding the nose. Chronic sinusitis, often accompanied by nasal polyps, can severely block the nasal passages. FESS focuses on opening the natural drainage pathways of the sinuses to allow for proper ventilation and mucus flow.
The procedure is minimally invasive, using thin, lighted instruments called endoscopes to visualize and operate within the nasal and sinus cavities. The surgeon carefully removes any obstructing tissue, such as polyps, or widens the narrow openings that lead into the sinuses. Restoring normal drainage reduces the inflammation and infection that cause blockage, offering long-term relief from congestion and pressure.