Rhinoplasty, septoplasty, rhinoseptoplasty
What is rhinoplasty?Rhinoplasty, also known as nose contouring surgery, is one of the most popular operations in cosmetic surgery.Rhinoplasty allows the shape and the size of the nose to be modified, thus improving the features of the patient's face, but without distorting its appearance. More precisely, the cosmetic surgery on the nose allows the size of the nose to be increased or diminished (too small, too large, too wide), the shape of the dorsum (saddle or hump) and of the tip (too wide, too narrow or too long) to be changed, the width of the nostrils to be modified and the angle between the brow and the nose or between the nose and the upper lip to be changed. With this operation it is also possible to correct post-traumatic or congenital defects, as well as breathing difficulties. If the breathing difficulties are due to nasal deviation, it is necessary to undergo a "septoplasty" operation at the same time, in order to contour and reposition the deviated nasal septum. Are there age limits to undergo this surgery?There are no age limits to undergo this kind of surgery, but it is preferable to wait for the end of the age of development of the bone and cartilage structures, which occurs around the age of 15-16.What surgical interventions can be performed together with rhinoplasty?Rhinoplasty can be performed alone or in association with other surgical techniques such as blepharoplasty, face-lift, la mentoplasty or other operations of cosmetic or functional surgery (septoplasty).What are the risks and the complications of this kind of operation?Nose contouring surgery is one of the most difficult and complex operations of cosmetic surgery. When this kind of operation is performed by a specialist in plastic surgery, experienced in nose contouring and in qualified facilities, the results are usually very good. It is anyhow a real surgical procedure whose complications (bleeding, infection) are rare but may occur and can be easily resolved only if the intervention is performed by a specialist in plastic surgery and within duly qualified facilities.In order to reduce the risks of complications, it is essential to follow the advice and the instructions given by the surgeon carefully before and after the operation. Smokers should reduce the use of cigarettes because smoking may increase the risk of complications and slow down the recovery. What does the preoperative examination consists in?Rhinoplasty is a very customized kind of surgery that, as such, needs a meticulous specialist examination.During the first examination, the surgeon will assess the shape and the size of your nose, verify if there are physical and/or functional defects, and show you the possible feature modifications in the shape, the profile and the appearance of your nose. Such corrections may be displayed through computer processing of digital pictures of your face. The surgeon will also assess your physical condition in order to exclude the presence of troubles (such as high blood pressure, clotting or healing disorders) which might affect the final result of the operation. At the end of the examination, the surgeon, in tune with you, will choose the shape of the nose most suitable for the appearance of your face. Before the operation you will receive specific information about the preoperative and postoperative diet and the use of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. What kind of anaesthetic is given?Rhinoplasty is normally performed under general anaesthesia with one or two-day hospitalization. Sometimes, very simple operations of rhinoplasty may be performed under local anaesthesia with sedation (which means that you will be awake but relaxed and insensitive to pain) and in outpatient care.Le incisioni sono visibili?The incisions are completely invisible in that they are hidden inside the nasal cavities.
How long is the operation?The rhinoplasty operation lasts about one hour, it is completely painless and ends with a small plastering on the dorsum of the nose with two band-aids but with no swabs.What happens during the post-operative period?During 48 hours following rhinoplasty surgery, you will have to rest up, keeping your head raised.Starting from the third day, you will be able to resume your normal life, avoiding, nevertheless, tiring activities, saunas, sweat-baths, sunbathing, use of hot food and drinks and limiting the use of glasses as much as possible. During the first two days, swelling and ecchymoses may appear around the eyes. Very seldom may bleeding occur, which requires the use of swabs. Seven days after the operation, the surgeon will remove the plaster and, day after day, your nose, which at first will be puffy and oedematous, will take the shape agreed upon before the operation. Some puffiness may persist even for several weeks, especially on the tip of the nose. What kind of result can be achieved?Rhinoplasty provides very rewarding results both for the patient and for the plastic surgeon.The result, which is normally very good and already observable after the first two weeks, will be definitive about one year after the intervention. If you wish to take this subject further, we advise you to visit the FAQ page about rhinoplasty, where you will find the answers to the most frequent questions asked by the patients. |
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Chirurgia-plastica-estetica.it Prof. Mario Dini Chairman and Director of Plastic Surgery Dept. - University of Florence |
