Better Treatment for Deviated Septum

New procedure corrects the nasal malformation up to 96 percent of the time

THURSDAY, July 21, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- People with a deviated nasal septum can benefit from a surgical technique that involves its removal, restructuring and reimplantation, researchers report.

Deviated septum can be caused by trauma, previous surgery or congenital malformations. But the nasal septum generally is particularly difficult to work on because it affects both the appearance and the airway passages of the nose.

Usual plastic surgery techniques often prove insufficient for reliably treating several deformities of the septum, according to German plastic surgeon Dr. Wolfgang Gubisch. To achieve good functional and aesthetic results, he suggests, the septum should be completely removed and corrected outside the body.

In the study, Gubisch reviewed the records of more than 560 patients who underwent the new procedure, called septoplasty, either under his direct care or under his supervision.

Reporting in the July/August issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, he said success rates ranged from 96 percent in the patients he treated to up to 93 percent in patients who underwent the surgery under his supervision.

More information

The Eastern Virginia Medical School has more about treatment for a deviated nasal septum.

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