Help Finding a Deviated Septum Doctor on Long Island
If you’re experiencing nasal congestion, a septal deviation may be a contributing factor; however, more often than not, it is not the only factor contributing to your nasal obstruction (see our blog: What Causes Nasal Congestion). Patients with additional causes of obstruction will not improve with septoplasty alone. At Capo Nose and Sinus Center, we rule out all other potential obstructions before offering patients a deviated septum procedure. This philosophy leads to superior patient outcomes and satisfaction.
Why is Dr. Joseph Capo the Right Choice for Septoplasty?
Many patients are justifiably nervous about deviated septum surgery based on statements from friends or family who have had septoplasty the traditional way – in an operating room, under general anesthesia. At Capo Nose and Sinus Center, we take a more modern approach – minimally invasive, office-based “endoscopic septoplasty.” As one of the only doctors in the region performing the procedure in the office, surgeons from around the country travel to Capo Nose and Sinus Center to learn about Dr. Capo’s technique.
Most importantly, we take a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach with our nasal congestion patients. Too often, other inflammatory conditions such as allergies and sinusitis are overlooked as contributing factors in congested patients. We will typically perform allergy testing and imaging of the nose and sinuses before scheduling septoplasty as a stand-alone procedure. If allergies or sinus inflammation go undiagnosed, the continued nasal inflammation these conditions cause will result in continued congestion and suboptimal results after septoplasty. Capo Nose and Sinus Center is the only practice in the Northeast designated as a “Center of Excellence” for nasal and sinus procedures. As a Physician Educator, Joseph A. Capo, MD hosts ENT surgeons from around the country to learn how to perform minimally invasive office-based procedures including endoscopic septoplasty, Balloon Sinuplasty, office-based functional endoscopic sinus surgery, LATERA® nasal valve implant, inferior turbinate reduction, and ClariFix® procedures.
What is Involved in “Traditional” Septoplasty?
The vast majority of ENT surgeons only offer traditional septoplasty in an operating room. The procedure involves general anesthesia with a breathing tube placed into the trachea for the duration of the procedure. A nasal speculum is placed into the nose and the surgeon visualizes the internal structures with the naked eye. An internal incision is made and cartilage and bone are removed from the septum with knives and/or chisels. Because visualization is poor, the procedure takes about 1 hour and is much less precise. There is also significantly more blood loss during traditional septoplasty because anesthesia dilates the nasal blood vessels. After the procedure is complete, the breathing tube is removed and the patient is taken to the recovery room where they are monitored for 1-2 hours. Since the bone and cartilage removed are usually extensive, stents or nasal packing are typically left in the nose for 5-7 days.
What is Endoscopic Septoplasty?
Endoscopic septoplasty is the only type of septoplasty Joseph A. Capo, MD performs. After numbing the nose with topical pain medicine, a 3mm endoscope is gently placed into the nose and the deviated portion of the septum is identified. The endoscopic technique facilitates superior visualization, so only the deviated cartilage and bone are removed. This procedure typically takes 10-15 minutes and is virtually painless. Additionally, since there is no operating room, we eliminate the inherent risks of general anesthesia. As soon as the procedure is done, the patient is able to stand up and walk out of the office immediately. As there is less trauma to normal tissue, nasal splints are only placed for 24-48 hours which leads to a significantly shorter recovery time. These advantages allow patients to return to normal activity in 24-48 hours.
For more information, check out this YouTube video where Dr. Joseph A. Capo, MD describes endoscopic septoplasty and interviews his patient minutes after the procedure.
If you would like to discuss anything else about Septoplasty or need a checkup, please contact us to schedule an appointment.