Many of my patients present with trouble breathing through their nose due to a deviated septum. Deviated septum surgery or septoplasty is a common outpatient procedure to correct this breathing problem. Patients may also have recurrent nose bleeds, a dry nose with crusts, and/or snoring.

With rhinoplasty or a nose job, I almost always address a deviated septum as I use the cartilage from the septum for grafting purposes for the cosmetic portion of the case.

The septum is composed of cartilage and thin bone. Most deviations occur at the junction of this cartilage and bone as they grow. A deviated septum can also occur from birth trauma, pubescent growth, or trauma later in life.

Dr. Funk is a nose surgeon in Houston, TX who specializes in rhinoplasty and deviated septum surgery.