Nasal septum

The wall of cartilage and bone separating the two nasal passages. It supports the nose and helps direct airflow through the nasal cavity.

Septal cartilage: A plate of hyaline cartilage forming the front and lower part of the nasal septum. It makes up the flexible anterior portion of the septum.
Nasal airflow: The movement of air through the nasal passages during breathing. The septum separates and helps shape the pathways air follows.
Deviated nasal septum: A nasal septum displaced from the midline, sometimes narrowing one or both nasal passages. This common variation can obstruct airflow through the passages the septum divides.
Nasal septal deviation: A displacement or irregularity of the nasal septum from its expected midline position. Deviation is a structural finding; it does not always cause symptoms or require surgery.
Perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone: A thin vertical projection of the ethmoid bone that forms the upper part of the nasal septum. It forms the septum’s superior bony portion.
Nasal cycle: The alternating congestion and decongestion of erectile tissue in the two nasal passages. Changing passage resistance alters airflow on either side of the septum.
Septoplasty: Surgery that reshapes or repositions the nasal septum to improve nasal function. It corrects septal deformity while aiming to preserve the supporting framework.
Nasal fracture: A break in one or more bones of the nose, usually caused by blunt trauma. External nasal fractures can occur with, but are distinct from, septal injury.
Vomer: A thin, plow-shaped bone forming the lower and posterior part of the nasal septum. It forms the septum’s inferior bony portion.
Olfactory epithelium: Specialized tissue in the upper nasal cavity containing odor-detecting sensory neurons. Airflow shaped by the septum helps carry odor molecules toward this tissue.

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