Septoplasty

Septoplasty: Straightening the nasal septum

Septoplasty is an operation in which the nasal septum is straightened. This page will describe in more detail when this operation is recommended, how it is done, and what to expect if you are going to have a septoplasty.

The nasal septum is the part of the nose that divides the right nasal cavity from the left nasal cavity. The septum usually lies directly in the center of the nose and rests on a bony ridge called the maxillary crest.. The septum is made up of several layers. In the front, the central portion of the septum is cartilage, a relatively soft material that is fairly flexible (colored blue on the diagram). More posteriorly, the central septum is made up of thin bone (light tan in the diagram). Lying on top of the bone and cartilage is the lining of the nose, called the mucosa.