ENT rhinology · UK
Septoplasty - straightening the airway you breathe through.
A short day-case ENT operation to straighten a deviated nasal septum and open the airway. Purely functional - no external change to the shape of the nose - and one of the most reliable rhinology procedures in the UK when patient selection is right.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A rhinology-focused consultant
A named ENT surgeon on a dedicated nasal airway list - not a mixed ENT list where septoplasty is one of many operations.
- 02
Turbinates addressed on the day
The commonest cause of a failed septoplasty is untreated turbinate hypertrophy. Every case we arrange plans both.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the route we recommend - including whether medical therapy is worth another go - is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private Septoplasty costs in the UK.
Ranges across our partner UK rhinology units. Septoplasty is the highest-volume ENT operation in the country and pricing is stable across major insurers.
In short
Septoplasty in our network: £3,500–£6,000, home the same day.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Stay / turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENT consultation with endoscopy | £220–£380 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
| CT sinuses (out-patient) | £350–£600 | 15 min | Report in 3–5 days |
| Septoplasty (isolated) | £3,500–£6,000 | 30–60 min | Day-case |
| Septoplasty + turbinate reduction | £4,500–£7,500 | 45–75 min | Day-case |
| Septoplasty + endoscopic sinus surgery | £7,000–£11,000 | 90–150 min | Day-case or 1 night |
| Revision septoplasty | £5,500–£8,500 | 60–90 min | Day-case |
Prices vary by hospital, by consultant, and by the complexity of your case. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
A well-done septoplasty is quietly life-changing. A poorly-done one is not.
The commonest reason a septoplasty fails is the turbinates were never addressed. The second commonest is the wrong patient was operated on. We fix both up front.
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Right operation, right patient
A deviated septum on a scan does not always cause symptoms. We match the operation to the airway story, not the CT.
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Address the turbinates too
Inferior turbinate hypertrophy causes as much obstruction as a deviated septum. Failing to address it is the classic reason a septoplasty disappoints.
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Modern practice, no packs
Painful nasal packs are a thing of the past. Splints or quilting sutures - not gauze - are standard at our partner units.
The journey
From enquiry to recovery - what happens, in order.
One team from first message through follow-up.
Phase 1 · Before
Assessment, imaging and planning
Phase 2 · On the day
Procedure and recovery
Phase 3 · After
Results, follow-up and review
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Which side is blocked, how long, whether steroid sprays and allergy treatment have been tried.
- 02
Before
We come back with a plan
Within one working day: the right consultation, whether imaging is needed, and an indicative price.
- 03
Before
ENT consultation and endoscopy
Flexible nasendoscopy in clinic. CT sinuses where sinus disease is likely. Decision made in the same visit.
- 04
Before
Pre-op checks
Bloods, blood thinner review, GA-fitness check. A collection lift arranged.
- 05
On the day
Admission and surgery
Same-day admission, GA, 30–60 minutes in theatre. Splints or quilting sutures placed; no packs.
- 06
On the day
Discharge the same day
Home after two to four hours of recovery. Written aftercare, saline spray and analgesia.
- 07
After
Review and full endpoint
Splints out at 7 days. Six-week review with endoscopy. Full airway endpoint at three months once swelling settles.
Typical end-to-end: 2–4 weeks from consultation to surgery. Recovery to full airway: 6–12 weeks.
When it helps
When Septoplasty is the right step.
The situations where septoplasty is the right answer, and the flags that mean a different route.
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Chronic nasal obstruction
A blocked nose most of the time - worse on one side, worse when lying down - despite steroid sprays and allergy treatment.
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One-sided blockage after trauma
An old rugby, boxing or road-traffic injury that shifted the septum and has never been quite the same since.
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Recurrent sinus infections
A deviated septum obstructs sinus drainage. Septoplasty is often done at the same sitting as endoscopic sinus surgery.
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CPAP intolerance from nasal blockage
Where CPAP mask leak or discomfort is driven by nasal obstruction - septoplasty can make CPAP workable.
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Recurrent nosebleeds from a spur
A septal spur or perforation edge that bleeds repeatedly - corrected during septoplasty.
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Access for sinus or skull base surgery
Straightening the septum first widens the surgical corridor for endoscopic sinus and pituitary surgery.
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Snoring driven by nasal obstruction
Where snoring is nasal-onset rather than palatal - septoplasty can reduce it, though it is not a treatment for OSA on its own.
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Red flag: unilateral discharge or bleeding
One-sided bloody discharge, especially with facial pain or numbness, needs urgent ENT - not a routine septoplasty consultation.
Technique options
The endpoint is the same. The technique is chosen to match the deviation.
What each option involves, and when we recommend it.
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Traditional septoplasty
The standard technique - hemitransfixion incision, submucous elevation, cartilage and bone straightening. Reliable and taught to every ENT trainee in the UK.
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Endoscopic septoplasty
Same operation, done with an endoscope for a clearer view of posterior deviations. Increasingly the default at UK rhinology units.
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Extracorporeal septoplasty
For severe caudal deviations - the entire cartilage is removed, straightened on the back table and re-implanted. Reserved for complex cases.
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Septoplasty + turbinate reduction
The commonest combination. Radiofrequency or coblation reduction of the inferior turbinates addresses the other half of the airway.
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Septoplasty + endoscopic sinus surgery
Where sinus disease coexists - done as one operation. Adds 30–60 minutes to theatre time.
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Septoplasty under local anaesthetic
Occasionally offered for simple deviations in fit patients - most UK units still prefer GA for comfort and precision.
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Splints vs quilting sutures
Silastic splints for 7 days give predictable healing; trans-septal quilting sutures avoid splints entirely and are increasingly preferred.
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Revision septoplasty
For persistent obstruction after previous surgery - technically harder, best done at a rhinology centre with revision volume.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of specialists, we picked them.
Consultants across London and the major UK cities. Introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every specialist in our network.
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Consultant ENT rhinologists with dedicated nasal airway lists
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Modern splint or quilting-suture technique - no painful nasal packs
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CT imaging and preoperative endoscopy on the same day as consultation where needed
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Combined septoplasty and turbinate surgery capability under one anaesthetic
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
Septoplasty is one of the safest ENT operations. The risks worth planning are picking the right operation and combining it with turbinate work where needed.
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General anaesthetic day-case
GA, 30–60 minutes in theatre, home the same day. Local anaesthetic is possible for straightforward cases.
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Bleeding, bruising, black eye
Some ooze for 24–48 hours. A rare postoperative bleed needs the surgical team same day. Bruising around the eyes is uncommon in septoplasty alone.
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Septal perforation
Under 1 percent - a hole in the septum where opposing tears failed to heal. Small perforations often need no treatment; large ones can be repaired later.
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Septal haematoma
A blood collection between the mucosa and cartilage. Rare, but drained the same day if it occurs - otherwise the cartilage dies.
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Numbness of the upper front teeth
Common in the first weeks. Usually settles by 6–12 weeks.
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Loss of smell
Rare and usually temporary - the mucosa needs time to settle. Persistent change is uncommon.
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Nasal shape change
Septoplasty does not intentionally change the outside of the nose. Very rarely a saddle deformity or tip drop can occur - a septorhinoplasty is the operation when the shape needs addressing.
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Persistent obstruction
About 10–15 percent of septoplasties leave some residual symptoms - usually because the turbinates were the driver. Addressed with a second-stage turbinate procedure or revision.
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Red flags after surgery
Heavy bleeding, spreading redness, fever, severe pain, sudden loss of smell or visual change - same-day ENT or A&E, not a routine call.
Reading your report
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whether the operation was done open or endoscopically, the note the ENT surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Medical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the report before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and anatomy
The symptoms, the exam and endoscopy findings, and the CT findings if imaging was done.
- 02 Technique
Approach and adjuncts
Traditional or endoscopic, what was removed or reshaped, and whether turbinate surgery or sinus surgery was done at the same sitting.
- 03 Findings
Intraoperative details
Any perforation encountered, any unusual anatomy, and whether splints or quilting sutures were used.
- 04 Plan
Aftercare, splint removal and follow-up
Read this first: saline irrigation schedule, splint removal date, activity restrictions and follow-up appointment.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Septoplasty is routinely covered by UK insurers when medically indicated (symptomatic obstruction with failed medical therapy). Purely cosmetic septal work is not covered - for that, see septorhinoplasty.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about Septoplasty.
Quick answers on recovery, packs, turbinate surgery and cost.
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Will septoplasty change how my nose looks?
No. Septoplasty is a purely internal operation that straightens the wall inside your nose - the external shape is not intentionally changed. If you also want to change how the nose looks, that is septorhinoplasty, which is a different, larger operation.
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Are nasal packs still used?
Rarely, at most UK rhinology units. Modern practice uses silastic splints (removed at 7 days) or internal quilting sutures. Both are much better tolerated than the traditional gauze packs.
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How long is recovery?
Most people take one to two weeks off work. Congestion, crusting and mouth breathing are normal for two to four weeks. The airway keeps improving for three months as swelling settles.
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Why did my friend say her septoplasty did not work?
The commonest reason a septoplasty disappoints is that the turbinates were never addressed. Inferior turbinate hypertrophy causes as much obstruction as a deviated septum. Every consultation we arrange plans both.
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How much does private septoplasty cost in the UK?
Roughly £3,500–£6,000 for isolated septoplasty, £4,500–£7,500 combined with turbinate reduction, and £7,000–£11,000 combined with endoscopic sinus surgery. Insurers usually cover it when medically indicated.
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Can I fly after septoplasty?
Short flights are usually fine after 1–2 weeks; long-haul is more comfortable at three weeks. Nasal congestion makes ear equalisation harder in the first fortnight - carry saline spray and a decongestant if you must fly early.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Septoplasty + submucous resection
The combined technical variant.
Learn more -
Septorhinoplasty
When the outside shape needs work too.
Learn more -
Endoscopic sinus surgery
Often done at the same sitting.
Learn more -
Nasal septum cauterisation
For recurrent nosebleeds.
Learn more -
Rhinoplasty
Cosmetic nose reshaping.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every treatment we arrange.
Learn more