Septoplasty with Nasal Turbinate Reduction and Spreader Grafts: Procedure Overview
This is a combined nasal surgery that corrects a deviated nasal septum, reduces the size of the enlarged inferior turbinate on the left side, and places cartilage grafts between the septum and upper lateral cartilages to widen and stabilize the internal nasal valve.
What Each Component Addresses
Septoplasty
This corrects the deviated nasal septum—the central wall dividing your nasal passages. The surgeon:
- Makes an incision inside the nose to access the septal cartilage and bone
- Removes or reshapes deviated portions while preserving structural support
- Repositions the septum to the midline
- Modern technique emphasizes preservation and realignment rather than aggressive resection to maintain nasal support 1
Left Inferior Turbinate Reduction
The inferior turbinates are shelf-like structures on the nasal sidewalls that can become enlarged (hypertrophic), particularly on the side opposite a septal deviation. This procedure:
- Reduces the size of the swollen turbinate tissue on the left side
- Creates more airway space for breathing
- Adding turbinate reduction to septoplasty provides significantly better relief of nasal obstruction compared to septoplasty alone, particularly when there is compensatory turbinate hypertrophy 2
- The evidence shows improved NOSE (Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation) scores when turbinate reduction is included 3, 2
Spreader Grafts
These are thin strips of cartilage (typically harvested from your own nasal septum during the procedure) placed between the septum and the upper lateral cartilages. They serve to:
- Widen the internal nasal valve—the narrowest part of the nasal airway located in the mid-nose
- Stabilize the cartilaginous framework after septal correction
- Prevent collapse of the nasal sidewalls during breathing
- Provide rapid and sustained relief of nasal obstruction with high patient satisfaction (86.84% in recent studies) 4
Why This Combination?
The grafting technique follows modern rhinoplasty principles that prioritize structural reinforcement over simple reduction 1. When correcting a deviated nose:
- Traditional septal correction alone can be destabilizing
- Spreader grafts increase stability of the realigned cartilaginous framework 1
- They are particularly valuable in revision cases where previous surgery failed 5
- Most patients (81.57%) do not perceive significant nasal widening from spreader grafts despite the functional improvement 4
Expected Outcomes
Based on the evidence:
- Significant improvement in nasal breathing occurs within the first month and continues improving through 6 months 4
- The combination addresses both structural deviation and functional obstruction
- The procedure provides better long-term stability than mobilization techniques alone 1
Important Caveats
- The turbinate reduction increases the risk of adverse events compared to septoplasty alone, though these are generally minor 2
- Spreader grafts are essential when there is internal nasal valve collapse or weakness 4, 5
- The procedure requires adequate septal cartilage for harvesting the grafts—if insufficient cartilage exists, alternative graft sources may be needed