Surgical Interventions for Nasal Congestion Due to Nasal Deformities

Nasal surgeries are often associated with aesthetic goals. These are often at odds with nasal function. Other nasal surgeries have the specific aim to improve the function of your nose.  

If you’re struggling with nasal congestion due to nasal deformities, visit Memorial Village Sinus & Hearing in Houston, Texas. Board-certified ENT physician Dr. Conrad McCutcheon is an expert at treating nasal congestion with both nonsurgical and surgical interventions. In this post, we explore surgical interventions that can restore your ability to breathe freely.

Nasal deformities contribute to congestion

Your nose is part of your respiratory system and is also a sense organ in that it enables you to smell. Your nose anatomy consists of bone, soft tissue, hair, cartilage, nasal cavity lined with mucous membranes including ciliated epithelium, nerve cells, nostrils, septum, sinuses, and turbinates. 

A nasal deformity refers to a structural abnormality in your nose, and while some deformities affect the appearance of your nose, others compromise its functionality or both. Examples of nasal deformities include:

• Congenital deformities that are present at birth, including cleft palate 
• Enlarged adenoids (lymph nodes in the back of your nose)
• Enlarged turbinates (baffles that clean and purify the air you breathe in through your nose)
• Deviated septum (the cartilage that separates each nostril)
• Saddle nose 
• Nasal valve collapse 

Depending on which nasal deformity is present, you might notice a problem with nasal congestion, snoring, noisy breathing, dry mouth, nosebleeds, and increased sinus infections.

Surgical interventions to correct nasal deformities

Just as there isn’t one type of nasal deformity, there isn’t one surgical option, either. The first step in improving nasal congestion due to nasal deformities is to confirm that a deformity is the source of your congestion. 

If your congestion is caused by another condition such as allergies, non-allergic rhinitis, an infection, or a cerebrospinal fluid leak, Dr. McCutcheon will guide you with appropriate next steps. If your congestion is caused by a deformity, he will review your surgical options with you.

Potential surgical interventions include septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery. If chronic sinus infections contribute to your congestion, you may be a candidate for balloon sinuplasty to open up your sinuses.

Not ready for surgery? In addition to surgical interventions, we also offer a variety of noninvasive procedures if nasal valve collapse or other deformities are the root of your congestion. VIVAER® nasal airway remodeling is an example of a treatment for nasal valve collapse that relies on radiofrequency energy rather than surgical tools.

Preparing for nasal surgery

Each surgery utilizes different techniques depending on what nasal structure needs to be corrected. For example, surgery for a deviated septum straightens the cartilage and bone that separate your two nasal chambers.

Regardless of which surgical techniques Dr. McCutcheon use, here’s how you can prepare for nasal surgery: 

• Adjust or stop taking certain current medications if directed to do so by Dr. McCutcheon
• Stop smoking
• Avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, and blood-thinning herbal supplements as they can increase post-op bleeding

While many nasal surgeries are outpatient, which means you can return home the same day as your surgery, you may need to take up to a few days off from work while you recover. You may experience swelling, but rest assured that Dr. McCutcheon fully prepares you for your recovery and provides detailed post-op instructions.

For structural deformities that cause nasal congestion, surgery can provide the relief you need. To learn more about nasal congestion treatments — including your surgical options — contact us at Memorial Village Sinus & Hearing, call us at 281-822-3777 or use our online tool to request an appointment today.