Turbinectomies are surgical procedures to remove part of or all your turbinates. Turbinates are bony structures occurring inside the nose, and you may have three or four turbinates in the human nasal chamber. The responsibility of turbinates is cleaning, warming, and humidifying air that travels through your nostrils to your lungs.

Why May You Need a Turbinectomy?

Your doctor might recommend a turbinectomy from ENT in Palm Beach to minimize snoring, address sleep apnea, alleviate chronic nasal decongestion, and adjust airflow to reduce nosebleeds. A turbinectomy can also correct a deviated septum. Your doctor recommends a turbinectomy if the problem you experience is challenging to fix with conservative approaches using nasal steroids or allergic rhinitis therapy.

Happenings during a Turbinectomy Procedure

Turbinate surgery is usually performed through both nostrils in an operating room. You receive general anesthesia during the surgical procedure by the otolaryngologist near me. The surgeon uses various tools and techniques when completing this procedure. Turbinectomy treatment in Palm Beach may involve the use of: Endoscopes thin, flexible tubes with lights at the end. Micro-debrider, a rotary cutting tool to shift issues and bones. Cauterization to burn or remove tissue. Radiofrequency using high-frequency electrical current to heat and destroy tissue. The purpose of a turbinectomy is to reduce or remove turbinates for lowering them. Depending on your unique situation and the outcome you desire, your doctor might recommend other procedures to correct a deviated septum or sinus surgery performed simultaneously. Approximately two hours are required to perform a turbinectomy, and you are allowed to return home a few hours after the surgery. Unfortunately, your surgery and recovery require more time if your situation is complex and you need multiple procedures simultaneously. After the surgery, you will experience swelling in the nose, around your eyes, cheeks, and upper lips besides discomfort and soreness. In addition, you may experience numbness in the nose tip, gums, or upper lip besides bruising around your nose and eyes.

Recovering from a Turbinectomy

To recover from a turbinectomy comfortably, your doctor might prescribe pain medication or recommend a saline nasal spray. They might also suggest putting petroleum jelly around your nostrils and using a cool-mist humidifier. Besides the above, the doctor recommends that you avoid strenuous exercise, chewing complex foods, smiling, and talking too much. You might also receive recommendations for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications to ease discomfort and help your recovery. You can seek help from Dr. Mark T Agrama if you experience symptoms such as excessive nose bleeding that doesn’t slow or signs of infections like fever, heightened redness, pain, warmth, or draining pus or experience new or worsening pain. You can request a family member or call 911 if you experience any of the following. Severe challenges when breathing or chest pain and shortness of breath. You lose consciousness or start coughing out blood. These symptoms indicate your condition is painful and needs emergency treatment without delay. Whether you undergo turbinectomy to alleviate chronic nasal decongestion or the doctor helps you deal with sleep apnea, the procedure of turbinate reduction is appropriate for you. Discuss your problems with your doctor providing them with all symptoms and challenges you confront. Doctors recommend surgical procedures only after trying conservative approaches to deal with the situation. For example, if you have exhausted all conventional techniques like allergy testing and nasal steroids, your doctor might recommend a turbinectomy as the best course of action to provide relief. If the surgical option is the best solution for your problem, you must prepare yourself to remain out of school or work for approximately a week. After that, you may require about three weeks to return to your regular routine. The turbinectomy procedure is not fearsome and merely amputates the structure of the turbinate to improve airflow. The process ensures the turbinates don’t cause problems and not to remove them from your nostrils. However, if it is the only solution available after trying all other options, doctors recommend a turbinectomy to alleviate the chronic nasal congestion other problems described earlier in this article. However, all medical professionals try conservative approaches before recommending surgery to provide relief from the issues. If you experience any symptoms as described earlier indicating the need for a turbinectomy, don’t hesitate to get in touch with South Florida Dental Arts to have the procedure from an experienced otolaryngologist.