Septoturbinoplasty- What Does This Term Mean?

Question

I have been unable to find the term "septoturbinoplasty" in any online medical dictionary, medical site, or web search engine. I recently had this procedure done but have not had time to have the Doctor explain what it entailed. Why is there no definition or explanation to be found anywhere including the Harvard Medical School website?

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

Septoturbinoplasty is a surgical procedure to correct a deviated nasal septum and enlarged turbinates. Your turbinates are organs in your nose that filter and humidify the air you breathe. When they're too large, turbinates may obstruct your breathing. Your septum is the wall inside your nose that separates your right and left nasal passages: when this is crooked or deviated, you may have obstructed breathing.

	I refer to this procedure as: septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery. If a portion of turbinate is removed from your nose, rather than reduced, it may be called turbinectomy surgery.

	Hope this helps.

	Dr. Joseph

Thomas A. Lamperti, MD · Answer

Septo-turbinoplasty is a term referring to performing both a septoplasty (to straighten the nasal septum) and turbinate reduction. The turbinate reduction can involve outfracture, trimmining, submucosally resecting, or radiofrequency ablating them.

Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH · Answer

Dear RikitiTrax

	I think that you are having trouble finding the word because it is a mixture of two more commonly used words. 

	
		Septoplasty is the surgical treatment of the structure that supports your nose and divides the nasal airway into a right and left side. 
	
		Turbinoplasty is changing the shape or size of the humidifing and filtering organs in your nose.  They range in size and can be as big as a small index finger.


	The surgery does not change the way the nose looks.  The addition of a rhinoplasty will change the outside appearance and possibly improve function of the nose.

	Best wishes

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Septorhinoplasty is an umbrella term covering the group of operations which reshape the the septum and nose.

	As to your not having  "had time to have the Doctor explain what it entailed", WOW! How could you allow anyone to touch you, much less operate on you without knowing exactly what the proposed operation, its risks and recovery entailed? Very trusting on your part.

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Thank you for your question.  The terms septoplasty, and turbinectomy are more often used then combining the 2 terms into 1 term.The septoplasty is revision of your nasal septum and turbinectomy refers to resection of part of the inferior turbinate inside your nose both done to improve airflow through your nasal passages.

Septoturbinoplasty- What Does This Term Mean?

Answers (7)

Answer: Reshaping of the Nose and Septum

Answer: Reshaping of the Nose and Septum

Answer: What is a septoturbinoplasty?

Answer: What is a septoturbinoplasty?

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Septoturbinoplasty- What Does This Term Mean?

Answers (7)

Answer: Reshaping of the Nose and Septum

Answer: Reshaping of the Nose and Septum

Answer: What is a septoturbinoplasty?

Answer: What is a septoturbinoplasty?

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.