Septoplasty (deviated septum)

What is a septoplasty (deviated septum surgery)?

The septum is the wall of cartilage and bone that divides the inside of the nose into two passages. When it is bent (deviated), it can narrow one or both sides and make breathing through the nose harder. A septoplasty straightens or trims the bent part of the septum to open up the airway.

It is an operation for a blocked nose caused by the septum — not a cosmetic operation. It does not change the outside shape of the nose; that is rhinoplasty, which is sometimes combined with it as a 'septorhinoplasty'. It also will not, on its own, cure a runny nose, sneezing or allergy, which usually need sprays and other treatment.

It is worth knowing that a slightly bent septum is very common and does not always cause symptoms. A large UK trial (NAIROS) found surgery helped people with a clearly deviated septum and at least moderate blockage more than sprays alone — so the operation is most worthwhile when the septum is genuinely the cause of a real problem.

Types & techniques

There isn't one single operation. The right approach depends on you — which is something to discuss with your surgeon.

Options at a glance

These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.

Preparing for your surgery

• See the operating surgeon, who will examine inside your nose and confirm the septum is the likely cause of your blockage.
• Be ready to discuss whether you have first tried steroid nasal sprays and saline rinses, as these are often recommended before surgery.
• Tell your surgeon about nosebleeds, bleeding disorders and all medicines and supplements, especially blood thinners.
• Stop smoking beforehand if you can, as it slows healing inside the nose.
• Arrange a lift home and someone to stay with you on the first night after a general anaesthetic.
• Plan around one to two weeks off work, and expect to breathe through your mouth at first.
• Be clear with your surgeon that this operation is about breathing, not changing the shape of your nose.

What happens

The operation is usually done asleep under general anaesthetic and takes around 30 to 60 minutes. The surgeon works entirely through the nostrils, so there is no cut on the outside of the nose. They lift the lining of the septum, straighten or remove the bent cartilage and bone, and lay the lining back down.

Soft splints or dissolvable packing are sometimes placed inside the nose to support healing and reduce bleeding; non-dissolvable packs, if used, are removed a day or two later. Turbinate reduction may be done at the same time.

Most people go home the same day. Your nose will feel blocked, and you will need to breathe through your mouth for a while. Some blood-stained discharge from the nose in the first days is normal.

Is this operation right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

Anaesthetic choices

The safest option depends on the operation, your health, the facility and your surgeon/anaesthetist. Ask what is planned and why.

The most useful thing to get right is expectations. A septoplasty treats blockage caused by the septum, so it helps most when the septum is clearly the problem; it will not fix allergy, a runny nose or sneezing, and it does not change how your nose looks. Ask your surgeon how confident they are that the septum is causing your symptoms, and whether turbinate reduction is also needed.

Published figures to discuss

How much septoplasty helps depends on how clearly the septum is the cause of the blockage; UK trial evidence shows greater benefit in people with clear deviation and at least moderate symptoms. Most complications are described in words rather than precise rates because robust UK-wide figures are limited, but the trial gives a useful sense of effectiveness.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

Recovery — what to expect, and when

Most people are back to normal life within one to two weeks, but the nose stays congested for longer and the full benefit to breathing can take several weeks to a few months as swelling settles and the lining heals.

• A blocked, stuffy nose and mouth-breathing for some weeks
• Blood-stained discharge and crusting inside the nose early on
• Mild facial pressure or a dull ache around the nose
• Temporary numbness of the upper front teeth and lip
• A gradual rather than instant improvement in breathing

Aftercare

• Rest with your head raised in the first days and avoid hot baths, which can worsen bleeding.
• Do not blow your nose hard; sneeze with your mouth open in the early days.
• Use saline rinses or sprays to clear crusting once your surgeon advises.
• Avoid heavy lifting, straining, swimming and contact sports until cleared.
• Take painkillers as advised and avoid medicines that thin the blood unless told otherwise.
• Attend your follow-up appointment to check healing and your breathing.
• Save the clinic's contact number in case of heavy bleeding, high fever or severe pain.

• Lift home and an adult to stay overnight after the anaesthetic
• One to two weeks off work booked
• Painkillers and saline rinse/spray ready at home
• Soft tissues and a plan to avoid nose-blowing
• Follow-up appointment noted
• Clinic out-of-hours number saved

Scars and how they heal

There is no cut on the outside of the nose, so there is no visible external scar. Cuts are made on the lining inside the nose and heal without a mark you can see.

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Heavy or persistent bleeding from the nose that does not settle
• A high temperature, spreading facial redness or feeling very unwell
• Severe or worsening pain not eased by painkillers
• Increasing swelling of the nose or face, or a very blocked, painful septum (possible blood collection)
• A severe headache with neck stiffness or visual change
• Clear watery fluid dripping steadily from the nose

Who to contact: your surgeon or clinic first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A good result means easier breathing through a nose that was genuinely blocked by a bent septum, with less need to breathe through the mouth and, for some people, better sleep. UK evidence shows clear improvements in nasal symptom scores after surgery in suitable patients, more than with sprays alone.

It cannot guarantee a perfectly clear nose, will not treat allergy or a runny nose by itself, and does not change the nose's outside shape. Some people find blockage gradually returns over the years, and a small number need further treatment.

For many people the improvement in breathing is long-lasting, but the septum can shift slightly with time, the turbinates can swell again, and allergy or rhinitis can keep the nose congested. A small number of people need further surgery or ongoing sprays. Continuing any prescribed nasal treatment helps maintain the benefit.

Combining with other procedures

Septoplasty is commonly combined with turbinate reduction when both narrow the airway. It may also be combined with reshaping the outside of the nose (septorhinoplasty) where appearance and breathing both need addressing — though the cosmetic part may not be funded by the NHS and should be discussed separately.

Follow-up & long-term care

You will usually be seen a few weeks after surgery to check healing and how your breathing has improved. Most people do not need long-term follow-up, but you should report heavy bleeding, signs of infection or persistent blockage. Ongoing nasal sprays may be advised if allergy or rhinitis also contributes.

• Continuing steroid nasal sprays or saline rinses if allergy or rhinitis also affects you
• Avoiding knocks to the nose while it fully heals
• Returning if breathing worsens again over time
• Treating hay fever or allergy separately to keep the nose clear

Revision and secondary surgery reality

• Blockage can gradually return if the septum shifts or the turbinates swell again.
• A small number of people need revision surgery or ongoing nasal sprays.
• If allergy or rhinitis is the real driver, more surgery is unlikely to help.
• Septal perforation, if troublesome, may itself need further treatment.

Ask your surgeon for their own revision rate, what counts as a revision, and what is included in the written aftercare policy.

What good aftercare looks like

• Clear advice on saline rinses, avoiding nose-blowing, and warning signs for bleeding or infection.
• A named contact route for heavy bleeding, high fever or severe pain.
• A follow-up appointment to check breathing has improved.
• Honest review if breathing does not improve, including whether allergy treatment is needed.
• Guidance on when sport, swimming and normal activity can resume.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• The operating surgeon's fee and whether turbinate reduction is included
• General anaesthetic and the anaesthetist's fee
• Theatre and facility fees
• Any splints or packing used
• Pre-operative assessment and any nasal endoscopy
• Follow-up appointments
• Whether any cosmetic (rhinoplasty) element is added, which is usually priced separately

• The surgeon's fee and exactly what operation it covers
• Anaesthetist's fee and the type of anaesthetic
• Theatre and facility charges
• Whether turbinate reduction is included or extra
• Number of follow-up appointments included
• Cancellation policy
• What happens, and who pays, if breathing does not improve or further surgery is needed

On the NHS? Septoplasty is available on the NHS when a deviated septum genuinely obstructs breathing and sprays have not helped enough; purely cosmetic reshaping is not NHS-funded, and private care is mainly used for speed of access.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a surgeon safely

• Check your surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they practise at a CQC-registered location, and look for membership of bodies like BAAPS or BAPRAS.
• You're entitled to a two-stage consent process with time to reflect (a cooling-off period). The surgeon who will operate must consent you — not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers, discounts or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.

• How confident are you that my deviated septum is the cause of my blocked nose?
• Have I given steroid sprays and saline rinses a proper trial first?
• Will you also need to reduce my turbinates at the same time?
• What improvement in breathing is realistic for me, and how long will it take?
• What are my personal risks of bleeding, a septal hole or a change in nose shape?
• Could my symptoms be from allergy or rhinitis rather than the septum?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the surgeon who carries out my operation, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this operation not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified surgeon for septoplasty (deviated septum)

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How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: NAIROS RCT — septoplasty vs medical management (NIHR/PMC) University Hospitals Sussex NHS — Septoplasty and septorhinoplasty Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS — Septoplasty leaflet Dorset County Hospital NHS — Septoplasty NHS — Broken or blocked nose

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.