In some cases, though, our physicians may recommend surgical solutions. Whether or not you’ll require surgery depends entirely on your individual health and personal needs. Some examples of conditions that may require nasal surgery include:
- Nasal blockage.
- Chronic sinusitis.
- Deviated septum.
- Sinus or nasal trauma.
- Nose bleeds.
- Nasal polyps.
- Enlarged turbinates.
- Chronic stuffiness.
- Chronic breathing issues.
- Chronic nasal drainage or post nasal drip
- Snoring and Sleep Apnea
What Nasal Surgery Options Are Available?
Depending on your condition, insurance, lifestyle and symptoms, your ENT physician may recommend one or more surgical treatment options. Some of the most common procedures we perform in-house or at our outpatient surgery center include:
Image Guided Surgery
Image guided surgery is another endoscopic surgery option for severe forms of chronic sinusitis or nasal blockage that can’t be treated using normal sinus surgery methods. It relies on a three-dimensional mapping system created from CT scans for extreme precision.
Septoplasty and Septorhinoplasty
These procedures reshape, reduce or reposition portions of the septum’s bone or cartilage to open up the nasal passageway and improve drainage and breathing. These procedures are used to reduce blockage, fix a deviated septum, repair a broken nose and more. In patients with sleep apnea, septoplasty can help people better tolerate CPAP.
Turbinate Surgery
This procedure reduces airway obstruction and difficulty breathing caused by enlarged or swollen turbinates, which are structures in the nose that warm and humidify air as it passes through your nose.
There are several types of turbinate surgery, including radiofrequency ablation (tissue reduction) and submucous resection surgery (partial bone or cartilage removal).
RhinAer® Procedure
Chronic rhinitis results in a persistently runny nose and often postnasal drip, congestion, coughing, itching, and sneezing. While some symptoms may be related to allergies, symptoms from chronic rhinitis may occur all year. For many patients, these symptoms may be caused by abnormal signals in the nose. This challenging condition can negatively impact your life in countless ways. Treatment often involves medications and different nasal sprays.
Unfortunately, these treatments only provide temporary relief. The physicians at River ENT can offer you the a procedure called RhinAer, which can disrupt these signals and provide lasting relief without surgery. The RhinAer procedure uses radiofrequency ablation to treat the nerves that cause chronic rhinitis and can be done in the office under local anesthesia or IV sedation as well as in an outpatient setting. Patients may return to work the same day after the procedure if done under local anesthesia.
VivAer® Procedure
The VivAer procedure is an in-office procedure for chronic nasal congestion and obstruction and can be done under local anesthesia or IV sedation as well as in an outpatient setting. The procedure uses radiofrequency ablation to shrink tissues in the nose, improving nasal breathing. Patients may return to work the same day after the procedure if done under local anesthesia.
Call River ENT at (512) 677-6368 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
