Rhinoplasty vs. Septoplasty
There exists a lot of confusion about rhinoplasty and septoplasty. The purpose of this page is to try and clear up some of the confusion between these entities.
Septoplasty
Septoplasty deals with surgery of the septum. It is performed when there is a deviation of the septum causing nasal airway obstruction. As mentioned on the rhinoplasty page, the septum is the primary cartilage structure that supports the nose. Also, some literature papers have the incidence of deviated septum in the population as high as 80+%. In most septoplasty surgery, the mucosa or lining of the nose is lifted and a small window where the septum is deviated is cut out of the septum. A good way to think about this is two equal-sized adjacent rooms that represent the nostrils, and the wall in-between the rooms representing the septum. If the wall is curved into one room, it makes that room smaller. One way to make the rooms the same size is to cut a window in the wall where the wall is curved. This makes both rooms the same size. This is a brief description of septoplasty surgery.
External appearance of a deviated septum.
Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is the modification of the nose. But, the septum is the primary support structure and contributor to the shape and function of the nose. This does not mean that no other structures contribute to the form and function of the nose. What this means is that you cannot have a straight nose after a rhinoplasty if you do not address the septum.
A septoplasty is included in EVERY rhinoplasty that Dr. Athre does. It is an integral part of the rhinoplasty procedure. However, the septoplasty portion of the procedure is not performed as a window cutout as described earlier. Modifications are made to the septum to get it straight but preserve as much cartilage as possible. Dr. Athre’s experience as a Ear Nose and Throat surgeon in a prior life along with all of his rhinoplasty training and experience combine to provide an excellent framework for rhinoplasty surgery and give you the best possible aesthetic and functional result.
Rhinoplasty vs. Septoplasty
Frequently Asked Questions
No! The septoplasty is part of the rhinoplasty surgery. It is included. In 15+ years I have not done a rhinoplasty without doing something to the septum! It is like saying, will you charge me extra to putty a few small cracks if you are painting my whole house? I’m sure some painters do, but the good ones do not.
NO! The insurance company will definitely not pay for the rhinoplasty. Your insurance company MAY pay for the septoplasty portion of the case. Dr. Athre does not accept insurance. You are welcome to call your insurance company, get your own preauthorization and file your claim with your insurance company.
Let us say what you really want is a rhinoplasty. And, let us say you have qualified for a septoplasty. You really should do the surgeries together. If you decide that you will do the septoplasty and then go back later for the rhinoplasty…you will likely pay a lot more. When you come for the rhinoplasty, it will no longer be a primary rhinoplasty because someone would have accessed the septum, and cartilage might be missing. This will cause you to have a more complicated surgery during your rhinoplasty surgery, and will definitely cost you more money. Dr. Athre works and plays well with other surgeons. He frequently works with Houston’s top ENT surgeons to do a rhinoplasty while the ENT surgeon is doing a septoplasty. Please call our office and we can coordinate your rhinoplasty surgery with your ENT surgeon if necessary. It saves you time, saves you money, and improves your overall surgical outcome!
Client Testimonial
“Dr Athre did an amazing job on my nose. His staff treated me like family and I felt very comfortable getting the work done. He was very intuitive on what I was trying to accomplish and knowledgable enough to work through the issues involved to get the result I wanted, especially considering it was a revision surgery. The whole experience was great and helped me so much!”
