Nasal Valve Collapse

One of the most common and troubling complaints that patients have when they visit their Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist is a stuffy nose. There are many causes of nasal stuffiness, including: deviated nasal septum, sinusitis, turbinate hypertrophy, allergies, and nasal valve collapse.

Nasal valve collapse means the nasal passages narrow during regular inspiration (breathing in). A simple test at home to see if you have nasal valve collapse is to pull on the cheeks as you breathe in and see if this improves your airway. Alternatively, you can apply a commercially available nasal strip (Breathe-right) and see if it improves nasal airflow. If so, you likely have nasal valve collapse.

There are many surgical techniques for treating nasal valve collapse.
The VivAer valve repair is an in-office procedure that is highly successful at treating nasal valve collapse. It can be done under local anesthesia, and takes about 15-30 minutes.

Patients with nasal valve collapse may have other issues such as sinusitis, nasal polyps, turbinate hypertrophy, or an enlarged nasal swell body. These conditions may be addressed at the same time as the nasal valve repair with in-office procedures such as balloon sinuplasty, turbinate reduction, or nasal swell body reduction.

Occasionally, patients with severe nasal valve collapse require more advanced surgery which involves placing grafts to stabilize the valve region. These procedures would be done in a traditional operating room. It is important to understand the cause of nasal stuffiness before scheduling surgery so that an optimal result can be achieved. Ask your ENT if one of your problems is a nasal valve collapse.