Pre-Op: Preparing for Rhinoplasty

One of the questions I am asked most frequently by patients who are interested in getting a nose job is what they will need to do to prepare for surgery. The answer is not much. There are very few preparations necessary for a rhinoplasty procedure.Dr. Tobias gives each patient a personalized list of instructions detailing what he or she needs to do pre- and post-surgery, but here is a general list of what rhinoplasty patients can expect.Physical Examination Only people in good health should undergo a rhinoplasty procedure. Being in good health is critical because the surgery is done under general anesthesia. As the Mayo Clinic explains:Under general anesthesia, you are completely unconscious and unable to feel pain during medical procedures. General anesthesia usually uses a combination of intravenous drugs and inhaled gasses (anesthetics). General anesthesia is more than just being asleep; the anesthetized brain doesn’t respond to pain signals or reflexes.People who are not healthy should not be put under general anesthesia, and should generally avoid non-medically necessary procedures of any type.To ensure you are physically able to go through surgery, Dr. Tobias will review your medical history and perform a physical examination. The examination is very thorough. It includes a chest X-ray, an EKG (electrocardiogram), and blood tests.Make Your Expectations Clear Dr. Tobias has helped thousands of patients improve their self-esteem by working with them to craft a nose that fits their ideals and their facial features. Dr. Tobias wants you to love your nose and love yourself after surgery.In order to figure out what is going to make his patients happy and look their best, Dr. Tobias meets with his patients and discusses their goals and their reasons for wanting surgery. In order to make your surgery a success, you need to be completely open and honest during your pre-operation consultation sessions.Avoid Smoking Exposure to smoke (because you are smoking, or because you are in an environment with second-hand smoke) before or after surgery can have a negative impact on your ability to heal from your rhinoplasty procedure because smoke reduces blood flow to the tissues in your nose. Decreased blood supply can result in poor or delayed wound healing or even skin loss. This increases the risk of scaring and infection.Stop Taking Aspirin, Supplements & Certain Medications About two weeks before surgery you should stop taking aspirin (no Advil, Motrin, Aleve, or other aspirin containing medications either) and herbal supplements (no fish oil, St. Johns Wart, Gingko Biloba, etc.). These substances act as blood thinners, which could make having surgery dangerous.During your physical examination should will have discussed what medications you currently take. Before surgery you should take only those medications approved or prescribed by Dr. Tobias.Arrange Your Post-Operative CareDr. Tobias does not allow patients to leave the hospital unaccompanied after surgery. So, before the date of your surgery you will need to arrange for someone to pick you up from the hospital. All Dr. Tobias’s surgeries are done at the Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey.It is also a good idea to arrange for someone to stay at your home with you the first few days after your procedure. It is necessary to precisely follow all the post-operative instructions about cleaning, pain medications, and proper healing that Dr. Tobias gives you, but the pain medication may make you too groggy to care for yourself.