What is Rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty surgery, often called “Nose Jobs”, involves the nasal bone and cartilage changes to get a new structure of a nose. It is a very common and popular type of plastic surgery.

A patient who has respiratory complaints, had an accident, or is simply not satisfied with the appearance of nose from birth may want to have a Rhinoplasty.

It's possible to intervene in a patient's nose size, angle, nostrils and nose tip with this operation.

A patient who wants to have this surgery for aesthetic reasons should wait until the development of the nasal bone is finished.

Procedure of Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia. With applying to the nose directly, most of the face is also numbed.

Incisions are made between and inside the nostrils. Meanwhile, the skin is separated from the cartilage and redesigned. It is obtained from the patient's body (ear, mostly) or supporting by an implant, if cartilage addition is required.

The surgery usually takes an average of 2 hours. This period varies from patient to patient, depending on the procedure performed.

The nasal bone is removed to make it smaller if the patient's nose is too large.

What are the Risks of Rhinoplasty Surgery?

Rhinoplasty Surgery also carries risks similar like as the other cosmetic surgery operations. The patient should have realistic wishes about the surgery and be aware of the possible consequences. The main risks seen are:

• Loss of feeling
• Infection
• Difficulty in breathing
• Damage to the septum
• Swelling, scarring
• Discoloration of the skin

The patient and the doctor should evaluate all these risks and the new nose image before the operation.

In addition, blood thinners such as aspirin should not be used for a few weeks before and after the surgery. If blood clotting slows down, the healing can be hard.

Recovery of Rhinoplasty Surgery 

A splint can be placed on the patient's nose after the surgery to facilitate the adaptation of the nose to its new shape during the healing process. This splint can also be placed between the nostrils for septum treatment.

The patient is stayed in the hospital for several hours following Rhinoplasty surgery. It's decided whether discharge is possible or not. It's expected that the effects of the anesthesia disappears completely during this time. The patient is kept under observation for 1-2 days in some hard surgeries.

It's necessary to keep the nose above the chest level while lying down to stop swelling and bleeding. Congestion may occur due to swelling. It is recommended to keep the splint for 1 week.

If the sutures are not of the type that disappear on their own, they are removed by the doctor then.