Septal cautery

Septal cautery is operating inside the nose to coagulate the abnormal blood vessels on the dividing wall inside of the nose.

There are risks and complications with this procedure. They include but are not limited to the following.

General risks

• Infection can occur, requiring antibiotics and further treatment.
• Bleeding could occur and may require a return to the operating room.
• Small areas of the lung can collapse, increasing the risk of chest infection. This may need antibiotics and physiotherapy.
• Increased risk in obese people of wound infection, chest infection, heart and lung complications, and thrombosis.
• Heart attack or stroke could occur due to the strain on the heart.
• Blood clot in the leg (DVT) causing pain and swelling. In rare cases part of the clot may break off and go to the lungs.
• Death as a result of this procedure is rare but possible.

Specific risks

• Bleeding. This often occurs during the first 3 weeks after surgery and is usually minor. Rarely, the bleeding may require packing of the nose or may require another operation to stop the bleeding
• Infection. This is usually treated with antibiotics
• Hole in the partition inside the nose. This does not usually cause any problems. Sometimes it may cause whistling, crusting or bleeding. Further surgery to close the hole is not generally successful. If very large it may cause a collapse of the tip of the nose. This deformity can be surgically corrected.
• Nose bleeds may come back due to re- growth of the abnormal blood vessels.