Some people find their turbinates too large, too wide, or too high for them to breathe comfortably through the nose. And so they decide to undergo a turbinate reduction procedure. But what exactly should you expect?
In this post, we’ll talk about the different types of turbinate reductions an otolaryngologist can perform and what you should consider before going forward with any surgery. Also, you can consider a turbinate reduction in Coconut Creek for the soonest and effective treatment. We’ll also cover the steps of the procedure itself and some common side effects.
Types of Reduction
There are three types of turbinate reduction procedures, turbinate excision, turbinate reduction, and turbinate wedge.
- Turbinate excision- Turbinate excision involves removing the entire turbinate. The only way to account for that is to perform a laser or open procedure where you’ll then remove the fascia that covers the turbinates.
- Turbinate Reduction- Turbinate reduction involves removing some of the support your turbinates need for stability. With this procedure, you can remove all the muscle tissue around the base of your nose but not the cartilage itself to reduce your nose width or height by up to 50%. You can also remove bone in certain areas to make up for it.
- Turbinate Wedge- Turbinate wedge involves a less invasive procedure where the doctor will trim the base of your turbinates to widen the breathing pathway. This is a laser procedure performed through a catheter.
What to Expect After Surgery
You’ll be able to leave the hospital after you feel comfortable enough to do so, but it can take days for this to happen. The main side effect after surgery is pain from the incision made during surgery, so your doctor will prescribe you pain medication and antibiotics if you develop an infection in your nose. Some patients also experience swelling and a bloody nose. The incision itself may also become infected, but your doctor will treat that with antibiotics, too.
If you choose the turbinate excision, this is considered riskier than the other two procedures since it involves removing cartilage and fascia. Your doctor may also tell you to take an antibiotic before surgery, wear a mask after surgery, and refrain from blowing your nose or touching your nose right after surgery. You may also want to use an ibuprofen gel every time you experience pain until it subsides.
Overall, turbinate reductions are safe procedures if appropriately performed by a qualified doctor. They require little recovery time and produce minor bleeding since the turbinates are delicate structures that function mainly to humidify the air that goes into your nose for breathing purposes.
