Deviated Septum Surgery in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is septoplasty?
The septum is the thin partition of cartilage and bone running down the middle of the nose, separating the left and right airways. Very few people have a perfectly straight one. When the bend is marked, one passage becomes narrow, and air struggles to get through on that side, especially at night or when the lining swells with a cold or allergy.
Septoplasty reshapes and repositions that partition from the inside. The surgeon lifts the lining that covers the septum, trims or straightens the bent cartilage and bone beneath it, and lays the lining back down over the corrected framework. Because the work happens within the nose, a septoplasty usually leaves the outside of the nose unchanged. This is a detail many patients find reassuring: the goal is breathing, and your appearance stays as it is.
Changing the shape of the nose is a different operation, rhinoplasty. When someone wants both better breathing and a change in shape, the two can be combined as a septorhinoplasty. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, septoplasty is carried out by the hospital's ENT surgeon.
Who needs it
Septoplasty suits people whose deviated septum causes a nose that stays blocked, typically worse on one side, and who find the obstruction affects daily life. Common stories include breathing through the mouth at night, waking with a dry throat, struggling to breathe through the nose during exercise, and a partner who reports loud snoring. A bent septum can add to snoring, and where sleep apnea is suspected, it is assessed alongside the nose on the snoring and sleep apnea page.
Many blocked noses have more than one cause. Allergic or non-allergic rhinitis makes the lining swell, and in the UAE the mix of dust, sand and air-conditioned rooms keeps that swelling going for many people. So the first step is usually to treat the lining: a steroid nasal spray used with the right technique, saltwater rinses, and medicines to control allergy. If the nose opens up well with these, surgery may be unnecessary. If one side stays narrow while the lining is calm, the septum is the likely cause.
The decision comes from your symptoms, an examination of the inside of the nose at the clinic, often with a thin endoscope, and how you responded to the sprays. Where sinus disease is also present, septoplasty can be combined with sinus surgery in one operation. Broader nasal and allergy care is covered on the Otolaryngology (E.N.T) page.
What happens
Septoplasty is normally performed under general anaesthetic, and the anaesthetist talks through the plan with you in advance. The surgeon works entirely through the nostrils, usually making a small cut inside one nostril to reach the septum. Bent sections of cartilage and bone are straightened, repositioned or partly removed, with enough support kept to hold the shape of the nose.
Sometimes the turbinates, the ridges on the side walls of the nose that warm and moisten the air, are also reduced in size to widen the airway further. Your surgeon explains beforehand whether this suits you. At the end of the operation, soft internal splints or light packs may be placed to hold the septum in its new position, and a small gauze pad under the nose catches any ooze. Most patients return home the same day once they are comfortable and eating and drinking.
Preparing for it
A pre-operative assessment checks that you are fit for the anaesthetic, and routine blood tests are arranged where needed. List every medicine, vitamin and herbal remedy you take, because blood thinners and some supplements raise the chance of bleeding and need a plan agreed with the team. Stopping smoking gives the lining of the nose a better chance to heal.
Keep up any prescribed nasal sprays until the surgeon advises otherwise. Plan time off work, and let the team know early about upcoming travel or fasting in Ramadan so the date suits you. Arrange an adult to take you home and stay with you overnight.
Afterwards
Your nose will feel congested for a while, and splints or packs add to that stuffy feeling until they are removed at a clinic visit. A little blood-stained discharge, mild swelling and some tenderness are expected. Breathing through the nose usually becomes easier once the swelling settles and the lining has healed.
Rest with your head raised on pillows, sneeze with your mouth open, and hold off blowing your nose, heavy exercise, lifting and swimming until your surgeon gives the go-ahead. Saltwater rinses keep the nose clean and comfortable. On dusty days stay indoors where you can, and use a humidifier if air conditioning dries your nose.
Contact the hospital if you develop a fever, increasing pain, a foul-smelling discharge, or swelling at the tip of the nose. Go to the emergency department straight away for heavy bleeding from the nose that keeps flowing despite pressure, or any difficulty breathing.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover septoplasty when it is done to relieve a medical breathing problem, and pre-approval is generally required. Insurers often ask for the examination findings and a record of the sprays and treatments already tried, so bring details of these to the clinic. A combined septorhinoplasty is usually assessed differently, because the change in shape counts as cosmetic. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you check your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of septoplasty?
Septoplasty carries the risks of any nasal operation, including bleeding, infection, a reaction to the anaesthetic and temporary numbness of the upper front teeth or the tip of the nose. Less commonly, a small hole can form in the septum, scar tissue can join the septum to the side wall, or the nose can stay partly blocked, sometimes needing further treatment. Very rarely, the bridge of the nose can dip if the septum loses support. Your surgeon explains how these risks apply to you before you decide.
Will septoplasty change the shape of my nose?
Septoplasty usually leaves the outside of the nose unchanged, because the surgeon works only on the partition inside it. If you also want to change the shape of your nose, that is a rhinoplasty, and the two can be combined as a septorhinoplasty.
Will septoplasty stop my snoring?
Septoplasty can reduce snoring when a blocked nose is a major contributor, but snoring often has several causes, including the throat, the soft palate and body weight. Where sleep apnea is suspected, a sleep study can be arranged before surgery so the full picture is understood.
Can a deviated septum be treated without surgery?
A deviated septum stays bent without surgery, but sprays, saltwater rinses and allergy treatment can reduce the swelling around it and often ease symptoms enough to avoid an operation. Surgery is considered when a blocked nose persists despite these measures.
Is septoplasty painful?
Septoplasty is usually more uncomfortable than painful, with a blocked, heavy feeling in the nose rather than sharp pain. Pain relief is given, and the stuffiness eases once any splints or packs are removed and the swelling settles.
Can septoplasty and sinus surgery be done together?
Septoplasty and sinus surgery are often done in the same operation when a bent septum and chronic sinusitis are both present, which means a single anaesthetic and recovery. Straightening the septum can also give the surgeon better access to the sinuses.
When can I fly or swim after septoplasty?
You can fly or swim after septoplasty once your surgeon has checked the nose at follow-up and confirmed it is healing well. Cabin pressure changes can cause pain or bleeding early on, and pool water can irritate the healing lining, so wait for that clearance.
Is septoplasty covered by insurance in the UAE?
Most UAE insurance plans cover septoplasty when it treats a medical breathing problem, and pre-approval is usually required. Cosmetic reshaping in a septorhinoplasty is often excluded, so confirm your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777 before booking a date.
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