Will a deviated septum get 100% straight with surgery?

Question

I have a severe deviated septum and had a consultation with a doctor he said he can't promise me that it will be a 100% straight , he said my nose may redeviate . My question is are there techniques that would give me a nose that would be perfectly straight and that would not redeviate after surgery?

Michael R. Macdonald, MD · Answer

You may be confusing rhinoplasty with septoplasty.  Rhinoplasty can help to straighten the outward appearance of a nose, and septoplasty will correct a deviated septum.  These surgeries are often combined in my practice and we call it a Septorhinoplasty.  No one can make a promise for perfection, but the goal would be to get you as close to a great result as possible by correcting the deviation on the inside, and straightening the outward appearance too.  Be Well!

Thomas A. Lamperti, MD · Answer

Your surgeon is right in that no one can guarantee a 100% straight septum after septoplasty surgery, especially with a severe baseline deviation.That being said no one really has a perfectly straight septum to begin with as it is normal to have minor areas of crookedness.You can learn more about septoplasty surgery at my web reference link below.

Tom D. Wang, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi, while it is possible to make a twisted septum straighter, it is unlikely to be 100% straight.  Your septum is made of cartilage, bone and membrane covering, all biologic tissues.  Because of this, it is virtually impossible to have a perfectly straight septum, unlike the walls of a room which are plumbed straight.  However, a straighter septum will improve nasal airflow, compared to a deviated septum, and this can help overall breathing through your nose.  Good luck to you!

R. Laurence Berkowitz, MD · Answer

The deviated septum may be more than jsut an airway problem and often is the contributing factor to a deviated external nose.  A surgeon experienced in septal straightening grafts almost always done through an open approach will give you the best opportunity to achieve a straight nose.

David A. Sieber, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for the great question! The great and mysterious thing about the human body is that despite how much we thing we know, the body will often times do what it wants. When it comes to septoplasty surgery, all surgeons will used the techniques they have available to straighten the nose as much as possible. However, despite these efforts, the nose could scar unevenly or the cartilage could bend just a little. I would be more worried by a surgeon who promised you that it would be 100% straight. There are techniques that will dramatically straighten the nose, but none that are able to make it perfectly straight. Best of luck!~Dr. Sieber

William Portuese, MD · Answer

It's important to understand that a deviated septum surgery( septoplasty) is only performed for nasal obstruction to be able to breathe freely on both sides of the nose.  The 100% success rate for deviated septum surgery is considered  to be excellent airflow on both sides of the nose.Deviated septum surgery will not change the crooked nose. The crooked nose is treated with a rhinoplasty procedure, which is considered cosmetic. cap to straighten a crooked nose requires osteotomies placed in the nasal bone, and this paragraph sometimes placed  under the concave upper lateral cartilage. For more information about the differences between rhinoplasty and a septoplasty, please see the link and the video below

J. David Kriet, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for your question! While straightening the septum (and or nose) often makes noticeable improvement, it is not always perfectly straight. This can be for any number of reasons. The nose is unique in that it is made up of bone, cartilage, skin, and soft tissues. All of these tissues heal at different rates and sometimes the cartilage, especially, can re-deviate. Many surgical techniques can help minimize this issue but it is not possible to prevent it entirely in every case. In most cases, significant improvement is made.
Best wishes,

Vincent D. Lepore, MD (retired) · Answer

Unfortunately, no surgeon can guarantee that any septoplasty surgery will result in a perfectly straight septum.  In most cases the goal is to improve breathing from both nostrils.  Further, although a septoplasty may aid in making the appearance of a nose more symmetrical, a septoplasty alone, without a rhinoplasty, may not change the outer appearance of the nose at all.  Check with your surgeon, in your case, as to what you may expect from any surgery you are considering.  Best wishes, Dr. Lepore.

Richard W. Fleming, MD (retired) · Answer

It is unreasonable to expect perfection after surgery to straighten your septum. As long as your breathing is significantly improved the operation will have been a success.

Will a deviated septum get 100% straight with surgery?

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