Deviated septums are usually fixed with a surgery called septoplasty , where an ENT surgeon straightens the cartilage and bone inside the nose so air can flow more easily. It is typically done as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia, meaning you go home the same day.

What is a deviated septum?

  • The septum is the wall of cartilage and bone that separates the two sides of your nose.
  • When it bends to one side, it can block airflow, cause congestion, snoring, or nosebleeds, and that is called a deviated septum.

How they fix it (septoplasty)

  • The surgeon works through the nostrils, making a small incision inside the nose to lift the lining (mucosa) off the septum.
  • Crooked cartilage and bone are then cut, reshaped, or selectively removed, while leaving enough structure to support the nose.
  • The septum is repositioned in the center, then the lining is laid back and closed with stitches; sometimes internal splints are placed to hold it straight while it heals.

Closed vs. open approaches

  • In many cases, the approach is “closed,” with all incisions hidden inside the nostrils and no change to the outer shape of the nose.
  • For more severe deviations or when the outside of the nose is crooked, surgeons may use an “open” approach with a small incision at the base of the nose, often combined with rhinoplasty (septorhinoplasty) to straighten both inside and outside.

Other procedures that may be added

  • Turbinate reduction or “submucosal resection” may be done to shrink or reposition the turbinates (soft tissue ridges) to create more space for airflow.
  • In some cases, cartilage removed from the septum is reused as grafts to support weak areas or refine the nose’s shape during septorhinoplasty.

Recovery and results

  • Septoplasty is usually a same‑day surgery, with most people back to light activities within a few days, though full healing of swelling and internal tissues takes several weeks.
  • Pain is often described as pressure or stuffiness rather than sharp pain, and the goal is better breathing, less congestion, and improved sleep once healing is complete.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.