A Step by Step Guide to Rhinoplasty Surgery

Definition

Rhinoplasty (RIE-no-plas-tee), also referred to as nose surgery, is a surgery that changes the shape of the nose. The motivation for rhinoplasty may be to change the appearance of the nose, its function or both.

When planning rhinoplasty, your surgeon considers your features, the skin on your nose and what you would like to change. The upper portion of the structure of the nose is bone, and the lower portion is cartilage. Rhinoplasty can modify bone, cartilage, skin or all three. Talk with your surgeon about whether rhinoplasty is appropriate for you and what it can achieve.

Why it's done?

Rhinoplasty can change the size, shape or proportions of your nose. It may be done to repair deformities from an injury, correct a birth defect or improve some breathing difficulties.

Risks

As with any major surgery, rhinoplasty carries risks such as bleeding, infection and an adverse reaction to the anesthesia. Other possible risks specific to rhinoplasty include:

• Recurring nosebleeds
• Difficulty breathing through your nose
• Permanent numbness in and around your nose
• Possibility of an uneven-looking nose
• Pain, discoloration or swelling that may persist
• Scarring
• Hole in the septum (septal perforation)

Talk to your doctor about how these risks apply to you.

How you prepare?

Before scheduling rhinoplasty, you must meet with your surgeon to discuss important factors that determine whether the surgery is likely to work well for you. This meeting generally includes:

Your medical history 

The most important question your doctor will ask you is about your motivation for surgery and your goals. Your doctor will also ask questions about your medical history — including a history of nasal obstruction, surgeries and any medications you take. If you have a bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia, you may not be a candidate for rhinoplasty.

A physical examination 

Your doctor conducts a complete physical examination, including any laboratory tests, such as blood tests. He or she also inspects your skin and the inside and outside of your nose. The physical exam helps your doctor determine what changes need to be made and how your physical features — for example, the thickness of your skin or the strength of the cartilage at the end of your nose — may affect your results. The physical exam is also critical for determining the impact of rhinoplasty on your breathing.

Sometimes your surgeon may speak with you about performing a surgery to augment your chin. This is because a small chin will create the illusion of a larger nose. It's not required to have chin surgery in those circumstances, but it may better balance the facial profile.

Photographs

Someone from your doctor's office may take photographs of your nose from different angles. Your surgeon may use computer software to manipulate the photos to show you what kind of result is possible. Your doctor uses these photos for before-and-after assessments, reference during surgery and long-term reviews. Most importantly, the photos permit a specific discussion about the goals of surgery.

A discussion of your expectations

You and your doctor should talk about your motivations and expectations. He or she explains what rhinoplasty can and can't do for you and what your results might be. It's normal for people to feel a little self-conscious discussing their appearance, but it's very important that you're open with your surgeon about your desires and goals for surgery.

Before rhinoplasty, you may also need to:

Avoid certain medications

Avoid medications containing aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) for two weeks before and after surgery. These medications may increase bleeding. Take only those medications approved or prescribed by your surgeon.

If you smoke, stop smoking. Smoking slows the healing process after surgery and may make you more likely to get an infection.

Make arrangements for the day of the surgery 

For the first few days after anesthesia, you may have lapses of memory, slowed reaction time and impaired judgment. Therefore, please arrange for someone to drive you home if you're having an outpatient procedure. Also, arrange for a family member or friend to stay with you a night or two to help with personal care tasks as your recover from surgery.

What you can expect?

Rhinoplasty is not a procedure with a set series of steps. Each operation is unique and is customized for the specific anatomy and goals of the person undergoing the procedure.

Rhinoplasty may be done inside the nose or through a small external incision at the base of the nose, between the nostrils. Your surgeon will likely readjust the bone and cartilage underneath your skin.

Your surgeon can augment your nasal bone or cartilage in several ways, depending on how much needs to be added, the structure of your nose and available materials. For small changes, the surgeon may use cartilage harvested from deeper inside your nose or from your ear. For larger requirements, the surgeon can use cartilage from the rib, implants or bone from other parts of the body.

During the surgery

Rhinoplasty requires local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia, depending on the complexity of the surgery and your surgeon's preferences. Discuss with your doctor beforehand which kind of anesthesia is best in your case.

Local anesthesia with sedation

This type of anesthesia is usually used in an outpatient setting and is limited to a specific area of your body. Your doctor injects a pain-numbing medication into your nasal tissues and sedates you with medication injected through an intravenous (IV) line. This makes you groggy but not fully asleep.

General anesthesia

You receive the drug (anesthetic) by inhaling it or through an IV line — a small tube placed in a vein in your hand, neck or chest. General anesthesia affects your entire body and induces a temporary state of unconsciousness. General anesthesia requires a breathing tube.

After the surgery, you'll be in a recovery room, where the staff monitors your return to wakefulness. You might leave later that day or, if you have other health issues, you might stay overnight.

After the surgery

After the surgery you need to rest in bed with your head raised higher than your chest, to reduce bleeding and swelling. Your nose may be congested because of swelling or from the splints placed inside your nose during surgery. In most cases, the internal dressings remain in place for one to seven days after surgery. Your doctor also tapes a splint to your nose for protection and support. It's usually in place for about one week.

Slight bleeding and drainage of mucus and old blood are common for a few days after the surgery or after removing the dressing. Your doctor may place a "drip pad" — a small piece of gauze held in place with tape — under your nose to absorb drainage. Change the gauze as directed by your doctor. Don't place the drip pad tight against your nose.

To further decrease the chances of bleeding and swelling, your doctor may ask that you follow these precautions for several weeks after surgery:

• Avoid strenuous activities such as aerobics and jogging.
• Take baths instead of showers while you have bandages on your nose.
• Don't blow your nose.
• Eat high-fiber foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to avoid constipation. Constipation can cause you to strain, putting pressure on the surgery site.
• Avoid extreme facial expressions, such as smiling or laughing.
• Brush your teeth gently to limit movement of your upper lip.
• Wear clothes that fasten in the front; don't pull clothing, such as shirts or sweaters, over your head.

In addition, don't rest eyeglasses or sunglasses on your nose for at least four weeks after the surgery, to prevent pressure on your nose. You can use cheek rests, or tape the glasses to your forehead until your nose has healed.

Use SPF 30 sunscreen when you're outside, especially on your nose. Too much sun may cause permanent irregular discoloration in the skin of your nose.

Some temporary swelling or black-and-blue discoloration of your eyelids can occur for two to three weeks after nasal surgery. Swelling of the nose takes longer to resolve. Limiting your dietary sodium will help the swelling go away faster. Don't put anything such as ice or cold packs on your nose after surgery.

Your nose changes throughout your life whether you have surgery or not. For this reason, it's difficult to say when you have obtained your "final result." However, most of the swelling is gone at a year.

Results

Very slight changes to the structure of the nose — often measured in millimeters — can make a large difference in how your nose looks. Most of the time, an experienced surgeon can get results both of you are satisfied with. But in some cases, the slight changes aren't enough, and you and your surgeon might opt for a second surgery for further refinements. If this is the case, you must wait at least a year for the follow-up surgery, because your nose can undergo changes during this time.

Via: http://www.mayoclinic.org/