Everything you need to know about rhinoplasty
Reconstructive nose surgery is performed to correct the unwanted results of the first operation. This surgery is performed for people who are not satisfied with the results of the previous operation for cosmetic or functional reasons. Surgery or reconstructive rhinoplasty is a complex procedure; For this reason, it is better to be performed by an experienced otolaryngologist.
Every year, about 15% of people who have operated on their nose, need to do a reconstructive operation. Corrective rhinoplasty has its own complications; For this reason, a full preoperative examination and surgical planning is very important.
If you are not satisfied with the results of your rhinoplasty and are looking for important and key information about reconstructive surgery, follow this article from Dr. Benyamin Rahmati’s website.
What is reconstructive nose surgery?
Rhinoplasty is one of the most popular types of plastic surgery. Every year, many people do this procedure to achieve more facial beauty. Rhinoplasty is one of the types of complex surgeries; For this reason, it should be performed by a specialist and experienced surgeon.
A small number of people after rhinoplasty need to perform a reconstructive procedure due to functional problems (difficulty in breathing, damage to the nasal mucosa, nasal septum tilt) or cosmetic problems (falling of the tip of the nose, increasing the length of the nose, creating scars or tissue due to repair). . You should know that the probability of needing a rhinoplasty surgery is the same for those who have had their primary surgery done with an open or closed technique.
It must be said that reconstructive nose surgery is even more complicated than the initial operation, and if the surgeon is not precise and experienced, there is a possibility of more injuries. In this operation, the surgeon usually fixes the problems and defects by strengthening the middle septum, strengthening the nasal cartilage and using various implantable implants.
When is the best time to perform nose reconstruction surgery?
In cases where the patient chooses corrective rhinoplasty due to beauty and not achieving the desired result, one must wait for one year. During this period, the healing of complete nasal tissues, surgical scar and problems caused by the previous operation appear. In this situation, the extra tissue created inside the nose, the excessive scarring of the wounds or the crooked nose are corrected by the surgeon.
If the patient has functional problems such as breathing problems, frequent infections, jaw injury and nasal septum perforation, the surgeon may perform the repair sooner. In this situation, the reconstructive operation may be performed 6 or 8 months after the first surgery.
What are the types of nose reconstructive surgery?
Reconstructive nose surgery is usually classified according to the corrections required, the complexity of the operation, the need for tissue, cartilage grafting, and changing the shape of the tip of the nose. The 4 common types of reconstructive rhinoplasty are:
How is reconstructive rhinoplasty performed?
Reconstructive nose surgery usually includes the following steps:
Preoperative assessments and preparations
A complete evaluation and analysis of the patient and her condition is very important for performing nose reconstruction surgery. At this stage, you should share all your wishes with the surgeon. Show the before and after photos to the surgeon. Provide her with the report of your nose operation, which hospitals usually give to patients, so that the surgeon is fully familiar with your situation and conditions.
After the consultation, the surgeon goes to the physical examination (hand examination). Your nose will be checked for asymmetry, crookedness, dorsal hump, and cartilage weakness. The problems that patients who are candidates for reconstructive surgery complain about are usually related to the lower third of the nose, i.e. the tip, the middle blade, and the holes.
How is reconstructive rhinoplasty performed?
Reconstructive nose surgery usually includes the following steps:
Preoperative assessments and preparations
A complete evaluation and analysis of the patient and her condition is very important for performing nose reconstruction surgery. At this stage, you should share all your wishes with the surgeon. Show the before and after photos to the surgeon. Provide her with the report of your nose operation, which hospitals usually give to patients, so that the surgeon is fully familiar with your situation and conditions.
After the consultation, the surgeon goes to the physical examination (hand examination). Your nose will be checked for asymmetry, crookedness, dorsal hump, and cartilage weakness. The problems that patients who are candidates for reconstructive surgery complain about are usually related to the lower third of the nose, i.e. the tip, the middle blade, and the holes.
Nose repair in the operating room
After examining the tests, photos and condition of the nose, the procedure and surgical steps are planned. The first step is to choose the type of anesthesia. As with primary rhinoplasty, your preference, the surgeon’s preference, and the length of time anticipated for the procedure will determine the type (local or general anesthesia) and anesthetic drugs used.
After the physical examination, it is time for the internal examination. A nasal speculum is used for this. Using this tool, breathing problems, damage to the nasal valves and its mucus are checked. After the surgeon’s examinations, you should do a complete blood test. Be sure to inform the surgeon about the medications you are taking or underlying diseases (such as asthma, allergies, heart problems). In addition, like the initial procedure, consultation with an anesthesiologist, lung specialist, etc. should also be done. Many surgeons believe that the psychology of the rhinoplasty patient is the most difficult aspect of the operation. This patient is disappointed with the initial cosmetic surgery and now chooses reconstruction for recovery. Considering this issue, psychological counseling is one of the things that you should do before reconstructive surgery.
After anesthesia, the surgeon makes targeted incisions on your nose according to the initial evaluations and selected strategy. As we said, nose reconstructive surgery is performed in an open or closed manner. For the incision, it is better for the surgeon to be aware of the location of the previous incisions. By making the incisions, corrections and changes will begin on your nose. According to the type of reconstructive surgery, things like correcting the tip of the nose, hump removal, cartilage grafting, etc. will be done by the surgeon on your nose. Usually, making corrections in the reconstructive operation of the nose is done from top to bottom to achieve the desired result.
After performing the necessary measures, the incisions will be stitched, your nose will be bandaged and plastered. The plaster should remain on the nose for about seven days and after this period it is removed by the surgeon.
Care after nose reconstructive surgery
Care after reconstructive nose surgery is exactly the same as the initial operation, and you should observe the following during the recovery period:
- After the operation, take painkillers and antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor
- Clean the surgical site with hydrogen peroxide as directed.
- Avoid going to swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi for 6 weeks
- If your surgeon has prescribed plastic splints or casts, be sure to use them
- Be sure to make your periodic visits. It takes a year to see the improvement and create the desired results, and during this time you must be under the supervision of the surgeon.
Rhinoplasty is a multifaceted operation. Surgeon error, misdiagnosis, changes in the patient’s anatomy, excessive removal of tissue (cartilage or bone), poor patient compliance with the operation, or the development of infection are all factors that can affect the results of the initial operation. If these problems occur, reconstructive nose surgery should be performed.
Restorative rhinoplasty is more complicated than the primary surgery and the probability of achieving the desired results is about 60%; So you should be very careful in choosing the surgeon and the treatment staff. Dr. Benyamin Rahmati, an otolaryngologist with a brilliant experience in performing rhinoplasty, can be a good choice to have your desired nose shape.
