Rhinoplasty
Introduction
Nose surgery, also known as rhinoplasty, is designed to reshape or repair the nose by improving the appearance and/or function of the nose. Another procedure associated with rhinoplasty and often performed at the same time is septoplasty, a procedure that opens up nasal passages blocked by a bent septum.
Features
Rhinoplasty may be performed for cosmetic reasons or for reconstructive purposes, such as correcting breathing problems. Nose surgery shapes the size of the nose as well as its width and profile. Nose tip, appearance of nostrils and balance of the nose (nasal symmetry) could be modified.
Aims of nose surgery:
- Straighten a crooked nose
- Make the nose look more symmetrical (keeping in mind that perfect symmetry is not always possible)
- Make the nose a little smaller or larger
- Restore the height of a flattened area
- Alter the appearance of the nasal tip
- Reduce the size of large nasal openings
- Correct a hump deformity Improve the look of the nose in relation to the upper lip
- Correct birth defects
- Repair damage caused by injury
- Repair damage caused by disease, such as infection or cancer
- Open up nasal passages and improve breathing often by performing a septoplasty (surgery on the nasal septum as well as rhinoplasty)
Characteristics in our department
In addition to general rhinoplasty and rhinoplasty, surgeons are also committed to corrective and personalized surgery to improve not only the appearance but structure of the nose. Our department has cooperated with the 3D printing center in numerous cases of craniofacial surgery, and achieved quite good results in rhinoplasty recently. The surgeon in charge will analyze the images of the patient before operation and carry out the ideal nose shape at preoperative evaluation on 3D platform (Fig. 1). Also because this technology allows surgeons to evaluate from different perspectives, one can reduce the uncertainty postoperative outcomes. In addition, according to the 3D evaluation before rhinolplasty, the 3D printing center can produce the surgical guide plate within few days. The so-called 3D surgical guide board is 3D printing-assisted surgery using sterilizable medical materials. The surgeon can directly use the 3D surgical guide plate in the operating room to know whether the height and length of the nose meet the expectations of the pre-operative assessment (Fig. 2)
Fig. 1 Pre-operative evaluation in 3D image for an ideal appearance and projection of nose.
Notification
Rhinoplasty is a highly individualised procedure and may not be suitable for everyone. Always feel free to discuss with your Specialist Plastic Surgeon in the consultation before any procedure. The surgeon in charge will always assess your general condition and offer the best advice for you.
Before the surgery, there are some issues you should keep your eyes on:
- Surgeon in charge could only work with the existing bone and cartilage structure, so there are limits to how far you can alter the shape of your nose
- It is necessary for your surgeon to evaluate your nasal structure carefully before the surgery, and ensure that the following management does not interfere with breathing. This may prevent you from having certain procedures.
- The final results may take up to 12 months to emerge, at which point your surgeon will assess the outcomes and whether further surgery is needed.
- The bones of the face and nose need to fully mature before nose surgery can be performed. For boys, the nose will have taken its final shape by about 17 years, and a girl’s nose by about 16 years. Nose surgery under the recommendation may lead to unpredictable results.
- Smoking indeed increases the risk of delay wound healing and tissue ischemia. If you are serious about rhinoplasty to improve the appearance and lower the postoperative complications, you should quit smoking for at least four weeks before the surgery.
Nose surgery may not be a good option for you if you are:
- Unable to undergo anesthesia
- Prone to bleeding tendencies or in illness
- Intolerance to surgical complications
Nose surgery may be a good option for you if:
- Your facial growth is complete
- You experience breathing problems
- You are self-conscious about the appearance of your nose
- You are physically healthy and you do not have medical conditions that can impair healing or increase risk of surgery
- You have realistic expectations of what nose surgery can accomplish
- You are a non-smoker or have stopped smoking
Estimated Cost
For estimated medical costs, please contact International Medical Services Center.