Nose Splints: What to Expect After Nasal Surgery
Nasal surgery requires the use of small silicone or plastic devices referred to as nose splints. These splints work to stabilize your nose post-surgery. Before you leave the hospital or other medical facility, your head and neck doctors in Los Angeles will provide you with care instructions for your splints and reveal how long you’ll need to leave them in place.
The Two Types Of Nose Splints
There are two main types of nose splints used, including internal and external. Internal nose splints are placed inside of the nose and held in place with multiple stitches. External splints are attached to the outside of the nose after a septorhinoplasty Los Angeles. These external splints are commonly glued to the skin with a dissolvable adhesive or taped on with medical bandages.
Why Do You Need Nose Splints?
After your septoplasty procedure Los Angeles, nose splints will work to stabilize your nasal tissue and protect your nose as it starts to heal up. Splints are used after a number of different nose procedures. These include:
- Surgery For Sinus
- Fracture Repair
- Rhinoplasties
- Septoplasties
The specific type of splint that will be used for your nose will highly depend on the type of surgery that you’re having performed. Septoplasties require internal splints. Rhinoplasties require an external splint.
What’s A Septoplasty?
Deviated septum repair Los Angeles, also referred to as a septoplasty procedure Los Angeles, is a surgical procedure to correct a crooked septum. The septum of the nose is the wall that is situated between the two different nostrils. The septum is made up of cartilage and bone.
After a deviated septum repair Los Angeles is performed, your surgeon will fill your nasal cavity with gauze and an internal splint. This works to stabilize your septum and provide necessary compression to the area to prevent bleeding complications.
What’s A Rhinoplasty?
Most commonly referred to as a nose job, a rhinoplasty is a procedure performed to enhance the appearance of the nose or enhance breathing. Rhinoplasties are one of the most common procedures performed by head and neck doctors in Los Angeles, even more than septorhinoplasty Los Angeles procedures.
Once the rhinoplasty is completed, your surgeon will apply an external splint to your nose. This will be to keep the nasal tissue stabilized while the healing happens. In some cases, your surgeon may decide to use steri-strips or surgical tapes instead of external nose splints.
What Is A Nasal Fracture Procedure?
Even though most of the nose is made up of cartilage, there is a bony part at the top. When the nose is broken or fractured, it needs to be realigned. Most times, realignment can be easily done by the hands of a skilled doctor. However, sometimes the realignment requires surgery to bring the nose back to its original shape.
Your doctor will apply an external splint after the procedure to help stabilize the nose. External splints are typically kept in place for about one to two weeks. Each case varies from the next, so it’s best to ask your doctor how long you’ll need to leave your splints on.
Westside Head & Neck treats our patients with top priority, both before, during, and after surgery. Whichever nasal splint you require post-operation, our team of expert doctors will fit it properly to ensure an optimum healing process.