Serving Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and surrounding areas
At AM Facial Plastics in Beverly Hills, CA, turbinate surgery is a specialized procedure designed to alleviate chronic nasal congestion and improve airflow. This treatment is crucial for improving breathing, ensuring better sleep, and reducing recurrent sinus infections. With a focus on advanced surgical techniques and patient-centered care, AM Facial Plastics is dedicated to providing effective outcomes through personalized treatment plans.
What Are Turbinates?
Turbinates are structures on the sidewall of the inside of the nose. They project into the nasal passages as ridges of tissue. Their function is to clean and humidify the air as it moves through the nose into the lungs. Turbinate hypertrophy occurs when the turbinates are enlarged, which can lead to congested or blocked nasal breathing, breathing trouble at night and snoring, chronic nosebleeds, and/or chronic sinus infections. When medications do not remedy this condition, a turbinate reduction (turbinoplasty) may be required.
What Is Turbinate Surgery?
Turbinate surgery, or turbinoplasty, involves a precise surgical process aimed at reducing the size of the turbinates in the nose. Turbinate surgery corrects the problem of nasal obstruction by reducing the turbinate size and decreasing airway resistance while preserving the natural function of the turbinates. This improves nasal breathing and can also help to reduce nasal drainage and post-nasal drip. The surgery may be performed in conjunction with a surgical septoplasty, sinus surgery, or rhinoplasty.
Benefits of Turbinate Surgery
Improved Breathing
The primary advantage of turbinate reduction is the dramatic improvement in airflow through the nasal passages. This enhancement allows patients to breathe more easily, especially those who previously relied on mouth breathing due to blocked nostrils.
Reduction in Nasal Congestion
Patients often experience a significant decrease in daily nasal congestion. Turbinate reduction surgery effectively decreases the tissue volume causing blockage, alleviating the constant feeling of a “stuffed” nose.
Enhanced Sleep Quality
Turbinate surgery can greatly improve sleep quality by facilitating better breathing. This is particularly beneficial for individuals suffering from sleep disturbances like snoring or sleep apnea, which are often exacerbated by nasal obstructions.
Decreased Dependency on Nasal Sprays
Many patients with enlarged turbinates depend on decongestant sprays to relieve symptoms. Post-surgery, the reduced turbinate size can lessen or eliminate the need for such medications.
Lowered Risk of Sinus Infections
Improving nasal airflow reduces the risk and frequency of sinus infections by preventing fluid buildup in the sinuses, which is a common site for bacterial growth when airflow is restricted.
Long-Term Results
Unlike temporary treatments, turbinate reduction surgery provides a long-term solution to turbinate hypertrophy. This offers lasting relief without the need for continuous treatment.
Minimal Recovery Time
The recovery time for turbinate surgery is relatively short, and most patients can return to normal activities within a week. However, full recovery may take a few weeks and patients should avoid strenuous activities and blowing their nose for the first week after surgery.
Increased Overall Comfort
Reducing turbinate size not only improves physical symptoms but also contributes to overall comfort in daily life. This also reduces the irritation and stress caused by chronic nasal congestion.
Understanding the Procedure
Turbinate reduction does not involve cutting through the skin. It is performed entirely through the nostrils. Using an endoscope to improve visualization, Dr. Moradzadeh makes a small puncture in the mucosal lining of the turbinate and carefully reduces the size of the turbinate with a microdebrider device. This innovative device allows the turbinate to be reduced on the inside without damaging the mucosal lining.
It is important that the turbinate not be removed completely because that can result in dry, crusty turbinate. Without a turbinate, the air an individual breathes does not get adequately humidified and warmed. Sometimes turbinate tissue will re-grow after turbinate surgery, in which case the procedure may need to be repeated.
What to Expect Afterward
Patients can expect mild pain, nasal stuffiness, and mild nasal drainage after the procedure. These conditions, which are a normal part of the healing process, improve significantly after the first week. Dr. Moradzadeh may advise you to use saline sprays or irrigations after the surgery and will give you other post-operative instructions to ensure that your nose heals properly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Turbinate Surgery
What Is the Recovery Time for Turbinate Surgery?
Recovery time after turbinate surgery typically ranges from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the extent of the surgery and individual healing rates. Most patients can return to normal activities within a week, although full recovery may take a bit longer.
How Long Do the Effects of Turbinate Surgery Last?
The effects of turbinate reduction are generally long-lasting. While nasal tissue can regrow, causing symptoms to return over time, many patients experience significant, enduring relief from their original symptoms.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Turbinate Surgery?
Ideal candidates for turbinate surgery are individuals with chronic nasal congestion that persists despite the use of medications such as nasal steroids or antihistamines. These individuals often have enlarged turbinates from chronic inflammation, allergies, or nasal structural abnormalities that obstruct airflow significantly.
Such patients typically experience frequent sinus infections, snoring, and sleep disruptions due to nasal blockages, which impair their breathing day and night and diminish their quality of life. Before surgery, you will have a thorough evaluation with us. This may include diagnostic procedures like nasal endoscopy to assess turbinate size and nasal anatomy. Candidates with a clear structural cause for their symptoms and good overall health are most likely to benefit from turbinate reduction surgery.
Breathe Easier With Turbinate Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA
At AM Facial Plastics in Los Angeles, CA, we pride ourselves on delivering turbinate surgery. This procedure is specifically tailored to significantly improve nasal airflow, reduce chronic congestion, enhance sleep quality, and diminish reliance on nasal sprays.
If you’re struggling with persistent nasal blockages and looking for a long-term solution, turbinate surgery might be the right choice for you. We invite you to book a consultation at AM Facial Plastics where we can provide a thorough evaluation and discuss how this procedure can specifically benefit you. Contact us online or call us at (310) 659-9900 to take the first step toward improving your nasal health and overall well-being.
