Scared To Have A Septoplasty? Fear No More!
- Posted on: Mar 15 2018
- View all 9 responses
What’s new in septoplasty (correcting a deviated nasal septum)?
Ever known anyone that had a septoplasty? 5 minutes in to their story you are convinced that no matter what you are not having that done.
The septum is the divider between the right and left side of the nose. It is made of fine bone and cartilage. Even minimal trauma when we are younger can cause it to become progressively crooked leaning into the right or left nasal cavity. This actually can also cause abnormal growth of the other structures in the nose such as the turbinates and sinuses. The patient can be left with chronic nasal congestion and sinus issues that don’t seem to respond to medical therapy.
Septoplasty has been traditionally been performed under general anesthetic at a surgical facility or hospital. The surgeon would use techniques that haven’t significantly improved for decades to straighten the bone and cartilage. This procedure would take about an hour or more and require plastic splints and packing inside the nose for days. There was
significant bleeding, severe postoperative congestion, a lot of discomfort at the follow up visit when the splints and packs were removed. All in all this older technique was also not very reliable and the patient might have minimal improvement. Unfortunately many ENT doctors are still using this outdated technique.
At Sinus and Snoring Specialists, Dr. Slaughter has pioneered a vastly improved technique. As a Center of Excellence physician he has taught this technique to hundreds of other ENT doctors nationwide. In this modern procedure no general anesthesia is required. Simple IV sedation by a board certified anesthesiologist is used where the patient is unaware of the procedure. The procedure is performed as an office procedure in our state of the art procedure room which typically means a significant cost savings for the patient. With IV sedation there is no sore throat, breathing tube, nausea, and the long recovery of general anesthesia.
Using the modern high definition nasal endoscopes, Dr. Slaughter uses a tiny 3 mm incision to expose the deviated aspects of the septum. These are easily adjusted to the midline. One small dissolvable suture is placed in the nose. No packing, no splinting, no plastic in the nose, no bruising, no yards of gauze in the nose like the old procedure. The procedure takes about 15 minutes and is usually coupled with non surgical turbinate reduction and balloon sinuplasty to open the sinuses.
Most patients leave our office within 15 minutes of the procedure being completed and can work the next day.
If you suffer from chronic nasal congestion or have been told you have a deviated septum, a simple office procedure can now correct this issue.
Posted in: Sinus and Nasal
Responses:
Hi, my name is Dora Pastore and I live in Arvada Colorado. I have a deviated septum due to a fall on January 1st. I wasn’t able to have surgery due to the fact I was on 2 blood thinners. Last year I had an aneurysm in the brain and had a stent put in. It’s been a year now and my last angiogram was great, however my neurosurgeon said I cannot get off the aspirin . most ent will not operate unless I get off the medication, could you please suggest any other way to correct my septum without surgery. would your procedure help my septum. thank you very very much.Dora
Comment by dora pastore on June 12, 2020 at 2:37 pm
Hi Dora, We would also require you to be off of aspirin prior to performing a septoplasty. Dr. Slaughter would need to see you in the office for a full evaluation to see what alternatives he could offer. I hope that helps. Thanks!
Comment by Sinus & Snoring Specialists on September 21, 2020 at 8:09 pm
I have a deviated septum and nose is crooked. The right nostril closed is closed because the nose is collapsing on that side. Can this be corrected without major surgery and no packing or splints?
Comment by Paula Parrish on October 10, 2020 at 1:45 am
Hi Paula, Thanks for your reply to Dr. Slaughter’s blog. Yes, this can be fixed with a simple office procedure. Please call our office at 512-601-0303 or visit our website at http://www.sinussnoringent.com. We look forward to seeing you!
Comment by Sinus & Snoring Specialists on January 21, 2021 at 3:55 pm
I have an appointment at the end of the month to have septoplasty surgery and I am scared… I already have anxiety for not being able to breathe very well through my nose…. should I not do the surgery
Comment by Daniel topping on March 12, 2021 at 6:21 am
If you are unsure about any procedure, it’s a great idea to have a second opinion. We are happy to see you in our office, if you are interested. Please call our office at 512-601-0303.
Comment by Sinus & Snoring Specialists on March 25, 2021 at 4:09 pm
Please, help me locate the doctor trained in Dr Slaughters technique on incisionless office septoplasty. In the past 4 years I have been to the ER so many times feeling like I’m smothering to death. And have even been committed because of suicidal feelings due to the smothering feeling. I am afraid of what I have heard from traditional septoplasty. The thought of going weeks without being able to breathe through my nose terrifies me. If you could please email me some information and offer me some help. Not only does this affect me physically but mentally as well. Thank you for your time.
Comment by Holly on October 31, 2022 at 8:45 am
Hello Holly, I am so sorry you have been suffering. To be clear, Dr. Slaughter does perform a 3mm incision for a septoplasty. Unfortunately we have not had any physicians from Western Kentucky visit our clinic to learn his technique. We would be happy to see you for an evaluation if you are able to visit Austin, Texas though. We have had many patients that have traveled from across the country and even internationally to have this procedure performed by Dr. Slaughter.
Comment by Sinus & Snoring Specialists on December 7, 2022 at 1:55 am
I have been told that I am not a good candidate for balloon septoplasty. That I need to have it done the old fashioned way. Is it true that there are people who are not candidates for this new method pioneered by Dr slaughter?
Comment by Holly on May 4, 2023 at 1:12 pm