What can I expect from the procedure?
Nasal fracture repair is an outpatient procedure most typically conducted under local anesthesia. As a functional nasal surgery, it is commonly covered by insurance carriers and Medicare.
If the septum alone is fractured, repair surgery will involve a closed procedure with an incision inside the nose. In cases where the patient fails to see a surgeon within the initial 10 days, more complex strategies may be needed, such as cartilage grafting to bolster weakened nasal support.
Occasionally the tip cartilage will become fractured during physical trauma. When this happens, the doctor may opt to perform “tip-plasty” or surgery to reshape and correct the tip of the nose.
In situations where some time has passed since the fracture, it may become necessary for the doctor to perform an open repair procedure. This involves re-breaking the nose with a hammer and an osteotome (type of chisel), and then resetting the bones in place.