Rhinoplasty

Changing the form of the nose through surgery is known as rhinoplasty (RIE-no-plas-tee). The purpose of rhinoplasty may be to alter the nose’s appearance, enhance breathing, or both.

The structure of the nose is composed primarily of cartilage at the bottom and bone at the top. Bone, cartilage, skin, or all three might be changed during rhinoplasty. Discuss the benefits of rhinoplasty and whether it is right for you with your surgeon.

Your surgeon will take into account your other facial characteristics, the skin on your nose, and the changes you want to make while planning a rhinoplasty.

Your nose’s size, shape, or proportions can be altered by rhinoplasty. It might be carried out to fix congenital defects, heal injury-related abnormalities, or ease breathing problems.

Risks

• As with any significant procedure, rhinoplasty has risks, including the following:
• Bleeding \ Infection.
• A negative response to the anaesthetic.
• In addition, but not only, there are additional potential dangers associated with rhinoplasty.
• Breathing through your nose might become challenging..
• Numbness that lasts forever in and around your nose.
• the potential for a nose that looks uneven.
• persistent pain, discolouration, or edema.
• Scarring.
• Septal perforation.

Before undergoing Rhinoplasty

You must consult with your surgeon to establish whether rhinoplasty is likely to be successful for you before making an appointment. This gathering often consists of:

1. Medical background: Your doctor will mostly inquire about your reasons for undergoing surgery and your objectives. Your doctor will also inquire about your medical background, including any operations, nasal obstructions, and drugs you may be taking. You might not be a candidate for rhinoplasty if you have a blood problem like haemophilia.
2. Medical checkup: A thorough physical examination, including any necessary laboratory tests like blood testing, will be performed by your doctor. He or she will also check your nose’s interior and outside, as well as your facial features.
3. Physical examination: Physical examination assists your doctor in determining what modifications are necessary and how physical characteristics, such as skin thickness or the durability of the cartilage at the tip of your nose, may affect the outcome. Determining how rhinoplasty will affect your ability to breathe depends on the results of the physical examination.
4. Photographs: Your doctor’s office will take pictures of your nose from various perspectives. In order to demonstrate the types of outcomes that are possible, your surgeon may modify the photographs using computer software. These images will be used by your doctor for long-term evaluations, before-and-after comparisons, and surgical reference. Most significantly, the photographs provide a detailed discussion of the surgical objectives.
5. Discussing your expectations: You should discuss your goals and expectations with your doctor. He or she will go over what rhinoplasty can and cannot do for you, as well as potential outcomes. It’s common to experience some self-consciousness when talking about your appearance, but it’s crucial that you are honest with your surgeon about your preferences and surgical goals.

If you have a small chin, your surgeon might discuss chin augmentation surgery with you. This is due to the fact that a small chin will give the appearance of a larger nose. In some situations, chin surgery is not necessary, although it could help to better balance the facial profile.

Medicine and Dietary Restrictions

For two weeks before and after surgery, refrain from taking any aspirin- or ibuprofen-containing drugs (Advil, Motrin IB, etc.). These drugs might make bleeding worse. Take just the meds that your surgeon has approved or prescribed. Also, stay away from over-the-counter vitamins and herbal medicines.

Stop smoking if you do. Smoking hinders the recovery from surgery and increases your risk of developing an infection.

Depending on how complicated your procedure is and what your surgeon chooses, rhinoplasty involves either local anaesthetic with sedation or full anaesthetic. Before having surgery, discuss with your doctor which type of anaesthetic is best for you.

1. Sedation and local anaesthesia: It only affects that region of your body. Your doctor sedates you by administering drugs through an intravenous (IV) line while also administering a pain-killing injection into your nasal tissues. You feel dazed but not asleep as a result.
2. General sedation: The anaesthesia is administered to you orally or through an IV line that is inserted into a vein in your hand, neck, or chest.

A small external cut (incision) will be made at the base of your nose, in the space between your nostrils, or within your nose for rhinoplasty. The bone and cartilage underneath your skin will probably be readjusted by your surgeon.

Depending on the amount that needs to be taken out or added, the structure of your nose, and the materials that are available, your surgeon can alter the form of your nasal bones or cartilage in a number of ways. The surgeon may utilise cartilage from your ear or from deeper into your nose to make minor adjustments. The surgeon may utilise implants, bone from other parts of your body, or cartilage from your rib for more significant alterations. After making these adjustments, the doctor closes the incisions in your nose and replaces the skin and tissue.

Changes to your nose’s structure, even the ones commonly measured in millimetres, can have a significant impact on how your nose appears. A skilled surgeon can typically provide outcomes that best fits. However, in certain instances, the small adjustments are insufficient, and you and your surgeon can opt to do a second surgery for more adjustments. If so, you will need to wait at least a year before having the follow-up surgery because your nose may change over that time.