The nasal septum is the bony-cartilaginous wall that separates the nostrils and the nasal cavities. The septum is covered by the internal lining of the nose that is a richly vascularized and innervated structure. Ideally, the septum should be a straight midline structure, but in reality, it is never perfectly vertical. What causes nasal septum deviation? Developmental or traumatic causes can lead to deviations of the septum. Nasal septum deviations can be asymptomatic or provoke breathing difficulties, nose bleeds, and sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apnoea syndrome. When a deflected or displaced septum jeopardizes the regular inflow and outflow of air during sports, sleep, or waking hours, it may require surgical correction.
As the name suggests, septoplasty is the surgical correction of deviations, asymmetry, excessive length, or unnatural positions of the nasal septum. Can septoplasty and rhinoplasty be done together? Septoplasty can be combined with rhinoplasty when the patient requires simultaneous modification of the external nose. Although the terms rhinoplasty, septoplasty, and septorhinoplasty, may be considered as different entities, we must be aware that form and function go hand in hand in any nasal surgery. Structural derangements of the septum may have consequences on the shape, and cosmetic alterations may affect the function. Hump excision or the correction of the nasal tip may involve modifications of the nasal septum, i.e., septoplasty.
