What is the nasal septum?

In biology, the septum is any structure that separates a cavity in smaller spaces. The Latin word is also used very often, septum. In the nose, the nasal septum is what is colloquially called nasal septumthe structure that separate the two nostrils and the two nostrils.

structure and function

The nasal septum is located in the central line of the nose with a vertical and anteroposterior arrangement. It is made up of six structures of bone and hyaline cartilage:

  1. in the posterior superior part, the perpendicular plate of ethmoid bone:
  2. in the lower back, the vomer bone
  3. quadrangular cartilagealso know as cartilage of the nasal septum
  4. medial crest of greater alar cartilage
  5. maxillary bone crest
  6. palatine bone crest

The nasal septum separates the nostrils and forms the nostrils, the two nostrils through which air is inhaled. By separating the nostrils, the septum promotes laminar flow and with it the heating and humidification of the air thanks to the hairs and mucus of the nose.

medical implications

The most frequent medical implication of the nasal septum is its deviation from the center line of the nose. It is a very common condition that is mainly due to traumaAlso to genetic causes. In most cases they are small deviations that do not cause problems, the deviation may even be inconspicuous to the eye.

But when the septum is greatly deviated it can obstructed breathing. It is also frequent recurrent sinusitis. In severe cases, the deviation of the nasal septum can be corrected by septoplastya plastic surgery intervention that is also used for aesthetic purposes.

Another of the most frequent problems is the drilling. Among the most common causes are ulcers, trauma and sniffing aggressive substances. The perforation can also be treated by septoplasty by installing an artificial piece that fills the perforation.

Both deviation and perforation usually affect the cartilaginous part of the septum. Other less common nasal septum conditions include fibromas, polyps, and tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma and esthesioneuroblastoma.

The nasal septum is also voluntarily perforated for cosmetic purposes; the piercings in the nasal septum are very common in cultures such as India, and since the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st it is also very common in Western culture.

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