Rhinoplasty – Septorhinoplasty
The term « rhinoplasty » refers to the procedure that involves reshaping a nose to correct aesthetic defects, whether congenital, appearing during adolescence, resulting from trauma, or due to the aging process. The ultimate goal is to achieve a balanced and natural-looking nose that meets the person's desires and harmonizes with the rest of their face.
This procedure can also improve respiratory function by correcting the deviation of the nasal septum (the bone and cartilage wall in the middle of the nose), in which case it is referred to as a « septorhinoplasty ».
Additional procedures on the turbinates can be performed to further improve airflow.
The procedure lasts about an hour and is performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. It can be done once growth is complete, which is around 16 years old.
TECHNIQUES
There are two types of rhinoplasty depending on the location of the scar:
closed rhinoplasty: endonasal scars (hidden inside the nostrils)
open rhinoplasty: scar on the columella (the column between the two nostrils)
This reshaping allows for the correction of the hump, asymmetries of the nasal pyramid, septal deviations, and lack of definition of the nasal tip. It also allows for narrowing a wide nose or shortening a long nose. If necessary, cartilage or bone grafts can be used to fill a depression or improve the projection of different parts of the nose.
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. Multiple measures are taken to avoid significant postoperative swelling.
At the end of the procedure, a plaster cast and nasal packing are placed.
The patient returns home in the afternoon.
POST-OPERATIVE CARE
The postoperative period is not very painful. The real discomfort comes from the inability to breathe through the nose for the first 24 hours due to the presence of nasal packing.
Swelling of the eyelids and sometimes bruising (hematomas) are often observed.
The nasal packing is removed on the first postoperative day. From that moment, rinses will be prescribed along with the application of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops. The plaster cast will be removed after one week, rarely after two weeks.
The nose will be swollen due to postoperative edema and will lack definition. It will take another week to return to normal social life.
However, the final result, in terms of suppleness and finesse, is only achieved after three to six months.
The nose will be numb during the first postoperative months, and due to the swelling of the mucosa (the tissue lining the inside of the nose) and the possible presence of crusts in the nasal cavities, respiratory discomfort may also be present.
