Service
Septoplasty (straightening the nasal septum)
Septoplasty straightens a deviated nasal septum that narrows one or both sides of the nose and makes breathing difficult. The outside shape of the nose does not change; if you also want to change the shape, septorhinoplasty is done.
What concerns does it address?
How is it done?
Through an incision inside the nostril the septum is freed, the deviated part of cartilage and bone is removed or straightened, and the septum is returned to the middle. There are no external incisions. After the procedure, packing or silicone splints are placed in the nose for a few days.
Sport and strain are avoided for two to three weeks, and a blow to the nose for six weeks.
With the shape of the nose
When the shape of the nose is changed as well as the breathing, both are done in one procedure (septorhinoplasty).
When is the procedure not suitable?
The procedure is postponed during a cold, sinusitis and an allergy season with marked symptoms, until the mucous membrane settles. It is not done with active inflammation of the nose and with uncontrolled clotting disorders. In children we wait for facial growth to finish; septoplasty is done in adults, except when breathing is severely impaired. If the cause of the breathing difficulty is an enlarged mucous membrane or polyps and not the septum, straightening the septum alone would not help; we check this by examining the nose before deciding.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — blockage in the first weeks because of swelling, nosebleeds, dryness of the mucous membrane.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Septoplasty | €1,000–2,000 |
| Septorhinoplasty | €3,000–4,000 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Rhinoplasty (nose surgery) — the septum is straightened from the inside and the shape of the nose from the outside, in the same procedure and under the same anaesthesia.
Frequently asked questions
When will I breathe normally? After the packing is removed, breathing opens up gradually as the swelling goes down, over a few weeks.
Is packing placed in the nose? It depends on the technique. Often, instead of classic packing, thin silicone splints are placed along the septum, which allow breathing, and they are removed on average after five to seven days. If packing is needed, it is removed after three to five days.
Can the septum become crooked again? Cartilage has a memory and can partly return, especially if the deviation was large. That is why part of the cartilage is removed or weakened, not just moved. A repeat operation is rarely needed.
What about bleeding after the procedure? Slight blood-stained discharge is normal in the first days. Heavier bleeding is rare; if it happens, sit upright, do not tilt your head back and call us.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.