Nose surgery experience

[RobL]

Hi; does anyone have experience with septoplasty (with our without turbinate/concha bullosa reduction) and how long it took to get back to playing? Thanks

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Hi RobL,

I broke my nose while running a marching band rehearsal in 1994 (I’ll save that story for another time) and had the septoplasty about two weeks later. If I remember correctly, the doctors explained that the bone is at its best “healing stage” about 2 weeks after the break.

Anyway, I remember not being able to play for about 4 weeks after the procedure. I had the expected side-effects of the surgery……bruises under my eyes and swelling in my sinuses to the point that I was only able to breathe through my mouth for a week or two. I was able to return to my teaching job about 2 or 3 days after the procedure.

The one thing that I did not expect was the 1st degree burns on my nose and cheeks. Back then, they used a polymer cast that was dropped into boiling water to soften the material. After moving my septum to the straight position, they pulled the cast out of the boiling water, shaped it across my face and it hardened quickly as it cooled. Of course, they didn’t tell me about the boiling-water cast until after I came out of anesthesia. I remember skin peeling off my face for a couple of months.

Fear not…..with the advancement of polymers over the years, I doubt they still use the boiling-water casts any more. Actually, some medical people have told me that there were other gentler options available back in 1994. Nonetheless, here I am almost 30 years later with a very straight nose and the skin across the bridge of my nose looks pretty good!

You should be fine. Plan to do very little for a couple days after the procedure and take your time getting back on the horn a few weeks after that.

[Kdanielsen]

Im curious about this too!

[Doug Elliott]

I had a septoplasty while I was in the Air Force, supposedly to reduce snoring and sleep apnea (it didn't).
I remember some mention of tubinate reduction, and I half-woke up during the procedure, to what seemed like a hammer and chisel being used in my nose...

It was a long time ago and I don't remember how long before I played - I'm going to guess two weeks.

[OneTon]

My retired ENT friend who did lots of these said it depends on how much cartilage is moved around but two weeks should be plenty. I had it done in 1993 when I wasn’t playing much. You will not want to play if they use gauze packing, which isn’t done as much now, or if splints are in place. After the surgery it was the first time that I could breathe through my nose instead of my mouth. Sinus infections were less frequent and still are.

[Crazy4Tbone86]

You all must be tougher than me. My surgery happened right about December 1st. I remember that I was hopeful to do all of my Christmas and New Year's Eve gigs that year......I ended up pulling out of all of them. I don't think I was back to "normal" until mid-January. Then again, everyone has a different story when it comes to surgery and medicine.

[OneTon]

Recovery time can be affected by the extent of cartilage disturbed. Some people’s metabolisms react differently to trauma. I had all four impacted wisdom teeth removed the same day. There was no external sign of the surgery and I was playing trombone three days later. My twin sister had two wisdom teeth removed on successive weeks and looked like she had gone 15 rounds with Mohammed Ali both times. It is good for the OP to know that it could be longer.

[musicofnote]

I had no problems getting back to playing after septoplasty. And I don't snore anymore, with or without CPAP machine.

[RobL]

Thank you for these responses!

[Kdanielsen]

Thank you for these responses!

[PhilTrombone]

18 months ago, I had surgery to remove polyps and also repair a deviated septum.

My doctor recommended waiting 6-8 weeks before playing. He was especially concerned the air pressure needed to play would damage stitches and the soft tissues.

The impetus for the surgery was polyp removal, as I was enduring endless sinus infections.

I did not know that I had a deviated septum until he told me, and it was corrected. One unexpected happy surprise was that I can now intake a larger volume of air thru my nose, and more rapidly. Fantastic.

Anyway I started playing softly at about 6 weeks; It took another few weeks to feel really comfortable again.

Good luck to you.

[Kbiggs]

I’ve had similar experiences to those above. I had surgery to correct a deviated septum to help with chronic sinus infections. It helped. Also, I can now breathe through my nose at night.

I think I started playing again around 6 weeks, brief 10 minute sessions at first, and then I built up from there. If there’s any pain or pressure, stop. If it continues when you play, ask to see the surgeon. Make sure you follow the surgeon’s instructions on regular lavage, either with a bulb syringe or a neti pot. I continue to use a neti pot, esp. for allergies.

One relatively common complication was that the surgeon nicked the sensory nerve for the tip of my nose. A new nerve grew and was fully in place about one year later. One uncommon complication was that I now have two small holes in the cartilage between the septum. The bone is fine, the joint between the cartilage and the bone is fine, and the septum is otherwise healthy, so my doc said leave it alone and monitor it.

I hope it helps with your symptoms.

[RobL]

Had the surgery Aug 5, and was released to start practicing again Aug 19. Glad to be on the other side! Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I have numbness behind my upper front teeth, which the ENT says will resolve.

[Posaunus]

... I am negotiating with a clinic for rhinoplasty in Turkey. ...

Is this a commercial for Turkish medical tourism? Why are you (a non-trombonist) posting on a trombone forum?

[musicofnote]

I too had a septoplasty to get rid of sleep apnea and snoring. It also didn't work, not immediately. Anyway, it took until the sticks were removed, so about 10 days. By that time, no blood and no pain.

[HawaiiTromboneGuy]

I was recently diagnosed with a slightly deviated septum as well. My ENT has prescribed me two nasal sprays as well as doing a sinus rinse every night. He could see a lot of sinus blockage and recommended we do this first before taking any steps to opting for septoplasty. I meet with him again in May and we’ll discuss if this has been working out enough for me. If not, well then talk about the surgical route about fixing that deviated septum.

[Kbiggs]

I was recently diagnosed with a slightly deviated septum as well. My ENT has prescribed me two nasal sprays as well as doing a sinus rinse every night. He could see a lot of sinus blockage and recommended we do this first before taking any steps to opting for septoplasty. I meet with him again in May and we’ll discuss if this has been working out enough for me. If not, well then talk about the surgical route about fixing that deviated septum.

“Nasal irrigation” can help. I use a neti pot, but any of the newer gadgets work well to one degree or another. Dr. Mehta (I think that’s who it is) has a whole line of products. I liked his squeeze bottles best, but they’re a pain to clean. I admit I don’t use a neti pot regularly, but when I do I notice good results fairly quickly. Allergy season has just started here in the PNW, so I guess I should start up again…

FWIW, if you use a neti pot, experiment with the angle of your head and the angle of the neti pot. When you get it right, the salt water will flow into one nostril and sinus, and out the other.

[Doug Elliott]

I use a cordless Water Pik with a rubber nasal tip that goes right on the regular tip. And Walmart's Equate Saline Packets in filtered wster. Best and cheapest method.

The septoplasty I had in 1996 was worthless.

[HawaiiTromboneGuy]

I was recently diagnosed with a slightly deviated septum as well. My ENT has prescribed me two nasal sprays as well as doing a sinus rinse every night. He could see a lot of sinus blockage and recommended we do this first before taking any steps to opting for septoplasty. I meet with him again in May and we’ll discuss if this has been working out enough for me. If not, well then talk about the surgical route about fixing that deviated septum.

“Nasal irrigation” can help. I use a neti pot, but any of the newer gadgets work well to one degree or another. Dr. Mehta (I think that’s who it is) has a whole line of products. I liked his squeeze bottles best, but they’re a pain to clean. I admit I don’t use a neti pot regularly, but when I do I notice good results fairly quickly. Allergy season has just started here in the PNW, so I guess I should start up again…

FWIW, if you use a neti pot, experiment with the angle of your head and the angle of the neti pot. When you get it right, the salt water will flow into one nostril and sinus, and out the other.

Yes, I should’ve worded that better. I do use the NeilMed rinse nightly and it does work wonders. Angle definitely does make a difference in getting all of the water out!