Reconstructive Nose Surgery

What is Reconstructive Nose Surgery?

Septorhinoplasty following nasal injury restores the appearance and proportion of your nose in addition to repairing a broken or deviated septum. Septoplasty and/or reduction of turbinates correct impaired breathing caused by structural abnormalities in the nose. Correction of rhinophyma reduces the amount of thick overgrowing nasal skin which deforms the normal shape of the nose.

Am I a candidate for Reconstructive Nose Surgery?

Nose surgery is a highly individualized procedure and is a good option for you if:

• You have fractured your nose with resultant deformity
• You cannot breathe through your nose
• You have thick nasal skin which is greatly deformed
• You are physically healthy
• You don't smoke although to correct nasal fracture this is not an absolute contraindication. Smoking impedes wound healing.
• You have a positive outlook and specific, but realistic goals in mind for the improvement of your appearance

How is Reconstructive Nose Surgery done?

Step 1 - Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 - The incision

Surgery of the nose is performed either using a closed procedure, where incisions are hidden inside the nose, or an open procedure, where an incision is made across the columella, the narrow strip of tissue that separates the nostrils.

Through these incisions, the soft tissues that cover the nose are gently raised, allowing access to reshape the structure of the nose.

Step 3 - Reshaping the nose structure

Surgery of the nose can reduce or augment nasal structures with the use of cartilage grafted from other areas of your body.

Most commonly, pieces of cartilage from the septum, the partition in the middle of the nose, is used for this purpose.

Occasionally a piece of cartilage from the ear and rarely a section of rib cartilage can be used.

Correcting a deviated septum
If the septum is deviated, it is now straightened and the projections inside the nose are reduced to improve breathing.

Treatment of rhinophyma
With age, some individuals grow an excessive amount of thick nasal skin which may resulte in great deformity. This can be substantially improved with surgery.

Step 4 - Closing the incision

Once the underlying structure of the nose is sculpted to the desired shape, nasal skin and tissue is redraped and incisions are closed. Additional incisions may be placed in the natural creases of the nostrils to alter their size.

Step 5 - See the results

While initial swelling subsides within a few weeks, it may take months for your new nasal contour to fully refine.

During this time, you may notice gradual changes in the appearance of your nose as it refines to a more permanent outcome. Swelling may come and go and worsen in the morning during the months following your nose surgery.