| Dr.Ronald P. Silverman, MD, FACS., is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center. Here the Doctor has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about Rhinoplasty.
Q. What is Rhinoplasty?
A. Surgery of the nose to correct either the function (breathing) or the
appearance of the nose.
Q. What are the benefits of Rhinoplasty?
A. Improved nasal breathing as well as improved cosmetic appearance with
better balance in relation to the other features of the face.
Q. Who is a good candidate for rhinoplasty?
A .Anyone who is dissatisfied with the above.
Q. What are the risks associated with Rhinoplasty?
A. All surgeries come with some risk. The risk for rhinoplasty includes
asymmetry, a decrease in the ability to breath through the nose,
infection, bleeding, dissatisfaction with the aesthetic outcome. A big
part of the pre-operative discussion include going through these risks
(which are generally minimal), and determining for each patient the
level of risk versus the potential benefit.
Q. What does a Rhinoplasty procedure involve?
A. Sometimes it isquite minimal like making the nasal tip a bit more defined or less
bulbous. This is a quick, relatively minor procedure. Sometimes it
involves breaking bones and removing some bone and cartilage. In
extreme cases it may require the addition of bone or cartiage grafts (or
other implants), particularly in the more complex reconstructive cases.
Q. How long does it take to recover from rhinoplasty?
A. There is a nasal packing that is generally removed in one or two days
and a splint that is generally removed in a week. Swelling and bruising
is present for about 2 or even three weeks in most patients. The
majority of the benefit is seen at this time. There is more subtle
swelling that continues to improve and mature over the course of 9 to 12
months so that the true final result can really only be appreciated
after a full year.
Q. How long can I expect the results to last?
A. The results in rhinoplasty are permanent with the one exception being
those patients that have bone or cartilage grafts. In some cases, bone
grafts can gradually resorb over time and cartilage grafts have the
potential to warp over time. Therefore under those circumstances,
revisions may me necessary, generally several years after the initial surgery.
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