Health Blog

The septoplasty operation is one of the most misunderstood surgical procedures that lay people, and even many physicians have. Some people even equate septoplasty with having a nose job, which is not true. Although, some people use having a crooked septum as an excuse to undergo a rhinoplasty, septoplasty, done correctly, can help patients breathe better, and more importantly, sleep better.

Understanding the Anatomy

In order to fully appreciate if septoplasty is the right procedure for you, you must understand the anatomy of how it’s done.

However, having a crooked septum doesn’t mean that you’ll have a stuffy nose, or that you’ll need a septoplasty. No one has a perfectly straight septum. There are other parts of your nasal anatomy that contributes to your ability to breathe, which includes your nasal turbinates and your nostrils. The turbinates are wing-like structures that jut in from the side-walls of your nose that look like wings. They normally warm, filter, smooth and humidify the air that you breathe. Inside this structure is the bone and the outside is a mucous membrane lining. The middle part is made of very vascular tissues that can swell tremendously when filled with blood. This is regulated by your involuntary nervous system. This nervous system normally swells and shrinks the turbinates, alternating from side to side, every few hours (called the nasal cycle).

Do You Have Flimsy Nostrils?

The other structure that is often overlooked is your nostrils. For most people, breathing in causes a mild vacuum effect that causes a mild collapse and a constriction of the nostrils. But in some people with either flimsy or weakened nostrils (from a prior rhinoplasty), they collapse very easily, even with a slight bit of inspiration. If you are one of these people, you may benefit from nasal dilator strips (Breathe-rite is one brand). Sometimes these strips are not strong enough, or it can irritate the skin. Another option is to use internal nasal dilators which work much better. Some of the more common brands are Breathewitheez, Nasal Cones, and Nozovent.

What’s Involved with Septal Surgery?

The septoplasty procedure can be done in conjunction with a turbinate procedure. There are many ways to perform a septoplasty, but the most important point is that it should be done well. The septum is covered on both sides by a mucous membrane. After an incision is made inside the nose on the mucous membrane, this layer is peeled away from the septal cartilage. The other side is also entered, which creates two tunnels on either side of the septal cartilage. The crooked part of the septal cartilage is next removed. Some surgeons either soften the cartilage or flatten it out and place it back, and others leave it out completely. In many cases, a small portion of bony spur that juts out at the base of the septal cartilage is also removed. The last part of the operation is where different surgeons use different techniques. Traditionally, thin plastic sheets with or without soft sponge-like packs are placed against the septum on both sides to keep the mucous membrane together for proper healing. If a large clot of blood forms between the two mucous membrane layers, the remaining cartilage may lose it’s blood supply and literally melt away.

Because the entire procedure in done inside the nose (or endoscopically), there is no swelling, bruising or changes to the outside of the nose or face (unless a rhinoplasty is done simultaneously).

What to Expect After Surgery

Most people don’t use any pain medications, but one is prescribed just in case. You’ll probably be more bothered by the sore throat from having a breathing tube placed during intubation.

What Are The Risks?

Complications are rare, but with any surgical procedure, there is a small chance of infection or bleeding. There is also a small risk any time someone undergoes general anesthesia, which includes, allergic or medication reactions or airway problems. In terms of overall risk, it’s riskier when you cross the street. Other very rare complications such as smell loss or a hole in your septum have been reported.

A septoplasty, if done properly, is one of the most gratifying procedures for both the patient and the surgeon. Success rates are very high. However, there are a few percent of patients where nasal congestion still persists, or it comes back after a few weeks to months. In this situation, there are two main possible reasons: there is persistent turbinate swelling due to inflammation, or you have flimsy nostrils. There are treatment options for both theses conditions.

Suffocation is a gruesome and unpleasant end to one’s life. It involves an individual receiving an inadequate amount of oxygen, causing him or her to become weaker and weaker until oxygen can no longer be supplied to vital parts of the body, causing the person to die.

Many people think of strangulation when they think of suffocation. While this is one method of suffocation, it is by no means the only method. Any situation that prevents an individual from receiving an adequate supply of oxygen can cause suffocation.

Some examples of situations that may lead to suffocation include:

• Tight, enclosed spaces
• Thin air (low oxygen concentration)
• Carbon monoxide inhalation

Any of these conditions may lead an individual to suffocate since he or she will not receive the oxygen necessary to survive. In some cases, conditions that lead to a lack of oxygen are caused by negligent actions.

An individual may have a responsibility to properly maintain a space to ensure that oxygen levels are not depleted. This may be the case in high altitude areas, which includes airplanes, since oxygen levels decrease as elevation increases.

These individuals may have been the cause of your loved one’s demise. Such negligence may warrant financial compensation, either from the individual who committed the action or from the entity for which that person works.

Though the families of wrongful death victims may not think to take legal action after losing a loved one, it is important to hold the individual responsible for your loved one’s death accountable. Before pursuing legal action, though, it is important to consult with an experienced wrongful death lawyer.

Anybody who’s suffered from a bad flea infestation knows how annoying it can be. Not only do you have to watch your pet suffer and scratch at their fleas, but your bites can be quite horrible as well. The reason flea bites itch is that flea saliva contains an anti-coagulant that causes an allergic reaction and results in the small, itchy bump that you see.

The best thing you can do for flea bites is not scratch them, obviously. This is always more easily said than done, but the more you can do to not scratch, the better. However, there are a few tips to reduce how much the bites itch.

Among the most popular methods to relieve itching are calamine lotion, tea tree oil, vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Ice can also work temporarily by numbing the area of the bite. You might also try hand-sanitizer, anti-septic cream and sunburn remedies.

Obviously, the best thing to do as a long-term solution is get rid of the fleas themselves. This is not always easy to do, but if you follow some fairly simple steps, and stay with a careful and concerted program, you can succeed.

The first step is to kill the fleas on your pet. There are many topical pet flea treatments available, but probably the most popular is Frontline. Frontline comes in small, single-dose vials that are applied between the pets shoulder blades. The treatment then disperses out through the animal’s hair follicles and oil glands, and should provide protection for one month.

The next step is to get rid of the fleas in your home. This can be difficult to do with a serious infestation, but following a careful plan is the key. First, wash everything you can that might be infested with fleas, including pet bedding, cushions, carpets, etc. Throw them in the washing machine and wash with hot water and detergent.

The best thing you can do for fleas in your home is vacuuming. Vacuum your carpets and floors as much as possible, every day if you can, but at least three days a week. You can also buy some chemical sprays and foggers if you have a bad infestation. If you do this, make sure you buy a product that contains both an insecticide, such as pyrethrin, as well as an insect growth regulator (IGR) such as methoprene. This ensures that the spray will kill both adult fleas, as well as eggs, larva and pupae.

The key to this simple program is to continue to treat both your home and pet long past the time the fleas seem to be gone. If your pet stops scratching, still treat them with Frontline. If your home seems fine, don’t stop the frequent vacuuming. Fleas can be quite tenacious and hide out as eggs and larva, only to surprise you with a new infestation just when you think you’re in the clear.

When asked “How healthy am I?” more than half the respondents to a recent survey said that other people’s health “was going in the wrong direction”. Only 17% admitted that their own health was going in that very same direction.

The survey was intended to look at how Americans and health care professionals rated the country’s health. Seems most American’s think their health is just fine, but it’s everyone else who’s in trouble. Doctors disagree.

According to the survey results, American’s believe themselves to be in far better shape than their doctor’s do. “Either people are denying reality about themselves or they don’t have the correct knowledge and believe they are doing the right things,” explains study author Dr. Michael Roizen, chairman of The Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute.

The survey, conducted late in 2009 included more than 2,000 people from all parts of the United States, and found that:

- Almost 30% gave themselves an A for managing their personal health; 92% of doctors gave a grade of C or lower.

- Just about 1/3 of respondents gave themselves an A for eating healthy; the doctors grades remain unchanged, 92% giving a C or lower.

- Nearly 1/3 gave themselves an A for getting regular exercise;

91% of physicians graded a C or lower in this area.

Now it’s also possible doctors, who typically only see the sickest among us, are overstating their concern, based on daily experience and fears for where we’re headed.

Still it seems odd that in a place were the obesity and diabetes rates are steadily rising, Americans tend to compare themselves (and come out the winner) with heavier people.

The survey found that even in our supposedly health conscious world, many respondents didn’t know their own numbers – cholesterol, glucose level, blood pressure.

Only 24% knew their body mass index; 29% knew their blood glucose level; 33% could answer for daily calorie intake and 36% could give their cholesterol numbers.

What’s more surprising is that a majority said that keeping those numbers in a healthy range was important to staying healthy. It seems knowing and doing are two different things.

Contrarily 95% of respondents agreed that regular doctor visits are important, but 70% had actively avoided such visits. Some hoped their problem would go away. Others asked friends for advice.

Some of the problem may be cultural as well. Everything in America is big. Western medicine doesn’t focus on prevention. But most of the diseases that get us in the end are silent killers like diabetes, high blood pressure and hardened arteries.

And then who doesn’t convince themselves that the bad things we do to our body are cancelled out (or eased) by the good things? Rather than looking at just one element of our lifestyle when asking the question ‘how healthy am I?’, we need to take a step back to view the big picture.