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Deviated Septum, Septoplasty & Rhinoplasty
Ask Dr Valerie Tay about:
- When is surgery required for a deviated septum?
- What are your treatment options for a deviated septum?
- What happens during a septoplasty
- How long does it take to recover after a septoplasty
- What is the success rate of a septoplasty
- How your nose shape will be affected after a septoplasty
Dr Valerie Tay is a consultant with the Otolaryngology department in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), where she leads the Facial Plastic Surgery service. Having a keen interest in teaching, she served as a clinical senior lecturer with the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, and was a Core Faculty member of the ENT (ACGME-I) residency programme. Dr Valerie Tay completed her postgraduate Otolaryngology training in Singapore. She was awarded the Ministry of Health (MOH) Health Manpower Development Programme (HMDP) Scholarship in 2012, and pursued advanced sub-specialty training in Facial Plastic Surgery in the renowned Navi Plastic Surgery Clinic, a high volume plastic surgery centre in Seoul, South Korea.
Being an ENT surgeon who works extensively on the head, face and neck, training in facial plastic surgery was a natural progression to hone her skills further. She spent a year in Seoul learning the latest advanced techniques for rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, facial re-contouring as well as minimally invasive treatments (fillers, botulinum toxins and lasers). In Singapore, doctors tend to focus separately on aesthetics, or taking care of medical problems. Dr Tay believes that a good aesthetic outcome can be better achieved successfully and safely by marrying good understanding of function with sound anatomical knowledge.
She sees herself to be in the perfect position to bridge this gap. Her unique training allows her to address both form and function equally well. Dr Tay has been invited to many local and overseas conferences to share her knowledge and expertise. She is a certified trainer for Merz (Belotero and Radiesse fillers, Xeomin), and has conducted courses for Galderma and Allergan to train other doctors. She is also an author for chapters in facial plastic surgery textbooks, such as Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, which is the landmark facial plastic surgery textbook for the Otolaryngology residents in North America.
Questions 10
When is septoplasty surgery required for a deviated septum, and what will happen if it is left untreated?
Septoplasty is necessary if you experience frequent nasal obstruction, that is not able to able to be controlled with medications. It can also be part of the therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). If a deviated nasal septum is left untreated, the symptoms of nasal obstruction will persist. If the problem is part of the spectrum of OSA, then long term complications of OSA such as high blood pressure, heart problems and increased risk of stroke may occur.
How does surgery for a deviated septum change my nose appearance?
Septoplasty alone to address a deviated nasal septum is not meant to change the shape and appearance of your nose. A rhinoplasty can also be done at the same time (Septorhinoplasty) to change the shape of the nose. Septorhinoplasty can be functional or cosmetic, this will depend on the assessment by your surgeon at the time of consultation.
How does a septoplasty or rhinoplasty affect your sense of smell?
After the septoplasty or rhinoplasty, for about 2 weeks or so you will experience nasal congestion, blood stained mucus during the recovery period. This will lead to temporary loss of your sense of smell due to the nasal obstruction. Thereafter, the risk of loss of the sense of smell after the surgery (that lasts <6 mths) is uncommon, and has been reported to occur in <1% of patients.
Is a septoplasty worth it in terms of relieved symptoms and improved appearance?
Septoplasty alone to address a deviated nasal septum is not meant to change the shape and appearance of your nose, it is to improve the breathing and nasal obstruction. A rhinoplasty can also be done at the same time (Septorhinoplasty) to change the shape of the nose. Septorhinoplasty can be functional or cosmetic, this will depend on the assessment by your surgeon at the time of consultation.
What is recovery like after a septoplasty?
A septoplasty alone to address a deviated nasal septum is not meant to change the shape and appearance of your nose, the aim is to improve the breathing and nasal obstruction. As such there will be no change in your appearance post-operatively, unless there has been excessive removal of the septum, which is very uncommon in the hands of most experienced ENT surgeons. The down time is about 2 weeks or so, where you will experience nasal congestion, blood stained mucus during the recovery period. I generally advise patients to avoid vigorous exercise for about 2 weeks.
How much does a rhinoplasty cost in Singapore?
I would roughly put it as btwn $7000- >$20,000This depends on whether it's a first surgery or a repeat (revision) surgery, the complexity and time needed for the operation, the use of implants or graft harvest from other parts of your body, and of course the surgeon's experience and facility fees of the operating theatre. The cheapest rhinoplasty will be the "simple" rhinoplasty which is that of inserting an implant into the nose, but that will usually not give the best results.
What is the difference between a rhinoplasty and septoplasty?
Septoplasty alone to address a deviated nasal septum is not meant to change the shape and appearance of your nose, the aim is to improve the breathing and nasal obstruction. A rhinoplasty can also be done at the same time (Septorhinoplasty) to change the external appearance and shape of the nose. When the deviated septum is mainly "internal", it is not necessary to perform a rhinoplasty at the same time to correct the shape of the nose.
How can a deviated septum affect a person's breathing?
The nasal septum is the wall that divides the left and right side of the nose.
What are the main benefits of having septoplasty surgery?
A septoplasty is done to address a deviated nasal septum, especially if you experience frequent nasal obstruction, that is not able to able to be controlled with medications. It can open up the space in the the nasal passages so that you can breathe better, sleep better, and overall have more energy in your daily life!
How is a deviated septum diagnosed? (photo)
Hi Xiang Yin ENT surgeons will do a thorough examination of your nose, including a video nasoendoscopy (nose scope) to asses if you have a deviated septum. Sometimes, it is obvious like the photo below. But in many patients, the deviation can only be seen with the video nasoendoscopy that all ENT specialists have in their clinic.