Functional Rhinoplasty

There is also something called the external nasal valve, which is an area on the nose sidewall that can collapse when a person breathes in. The collapse of this area can occur due to excessive removal of nasal cartilage or can be an inherent problem with the nose prior to surgery. This is addressed with cartilage grafting. Then there is the part that deals with a deviated septum. This is a very common problem and does not always cause significant breathing problems. However, when you make the nose smaller or take down a bump, these small septum problems can become magnified. The treatment for this is septoplasty, which is a straightening of the septum.

The final component is the pair of inferior turbinates. These bones are covered with a lining inside of the nose and are often swollen in people with chronic allergies. The turbinates are a very common cause of trouble with nasal breathing and can be shrunken at the time of rhinoplasty. There are many ways to accomplish this. Dr. White chooses to perform “submucous resection,” with a turbinate blade, which is a sort of minimally invasive liposuction technique from the inside of the turbinate that cuts down on bleeding and preserves the natural lining of the nose. This technique also helps to prevent the development of “empty nose syndrome,” which happens when a surgeon removes too much turbinate. Empty nose syndrome describes the sensation of the inability to breathe through the nose, despite there being more space to breathe!