What Type Of Rhinoplasty Will Make Me Breathe Better Through My Nose?

Q: Dear Dr.Eppley, I am interested in having surgery to better my breathing through my nose. In my younger days I was hit in the nose several times and suffered much damage which makes it hard to breath through my nose. I have suffered with this for years and would like to do something soon.I do have several questions and would like to be very educated on the procedure. I was wondering how long you have been doing these types of operations and how much they would cost. Also what can I expect after the operation. As of now you can see my nose has caved in on the sides and it is extremely hard to breath through my right nostril. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

A: Injury is a common cause of nasal breathing difficulties. External forces can displace both the nasal bones and the septum, causing obstruction through one’s nasal passages. While septal deviation is the most common sequelae of traumatic injury, changes in the external skeleton through nasal bone fractures and upper and lower cartilage derangements (middle vault collapse) can also be sources of the breathing problem. Such changes are also a source for visible nasal asymmetries and crookedness of the nose. Traumatic nasal injuries almost always require a full septorhinoplasty to get a complete correction. This sounds like what you need by your description. If you could send me some pictures, I can take a look at them and do some computer imaging as well if needed.

Typically, insurance will cover some of the costs of a septorhinoplasty but may not cover everything depending upon what is needed and done. This would have to be initially pre-determined through the insurance company with a letter and photos to get an answer from them in regards to coverage.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana