Rhinoplasty for Deviated Septum

    HOUSTON, TX, January 07, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Most people consider rhinoplasty a plastic surgery procedure to improve the appearance of your nose. This is its most common purpose, but it may also be used to correct functional defects in your nose. When rhinoplasty is performed to correct a deviated septum, it is sometimes called septoplasty, and it may be covered by your health insurance.

Understanding Deviated Septum

The septum is the wall that divides your nasal cavity into two separate nostrils. Ideally, the septum should run straight down the nasal cavity, but when you have a deviated septum, it will turn one way or the other, so your nasal cavity will not be divided into two symmetrical nostrils.

Deviated septum can be related to a visual deformity of the nose, but for many people the deviation is not accompanied by any turn or twist in the nose itself. Deviated septum can impair your breathing, cause recurrent sinus infections, and nosebleeds. It may also make it difficult for surgeons to access other areas of your nose for surgery.

Rhinoplasty for Deviated Septum

When rhinoplasty is performed to correct a deviated septum, most of the manipulation of your nasal structure is performed inside the nose. Your septum will be straightened to create two symmetric open nostrils. Sometimes you may also need a turbinectomy to improve the condition of your nasal airways. The turbinates are bones that can also contribute to the restriction of your airways.

You may not notice any changes in the appearance of your nose, although it is always possible to correct your nasal appearance at the same time as your deviated septum is being corrected.

Will Your Rhinoplasty Be Covered By Insurance?

Most of the time, any procedure described as rhinoplasty will be considered a cosmetic surgical procedure and will not be covered by insurance. One insurance company defines the following conditions for a covered septoplasty:

- Septum blocks access to intranasal areas that must be accessed for other necessary surgical procedures
- Recurrent sinus infections that do not respond properly to other treatments
- Recurrent nosebleeds
- Breathing difficulties
- Septum correction in combination with cleft palate repair

If you have at least one of these conditions, then your septoplasty may be covered by your health insurance.

If you are looking to have the procedure covered by your insurance, you must select your surgeon appropriately. A septoplasty performed by a plastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic surgery may be viewed skeptically. Many plastic surgery practices do not have experience billing insurance and may not know how to file the paperwork properly. If this is a major concern, make sure to talk to the patient coordinator about it early in the process.

To learn more about rhinoplasty and septoplasty, please visit the website of The Belage Center in Houston, Texas at www.houstonfacialsurgeon.com.

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