Revision Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty

May 4

Written By

When is revision rhinoplasty necessary and by whom should it be performed?

If this were a perfect world, nothing would ever have to be revised — not term papers, not architectural plans, not choreography, not recipes, not school curricula, not movie scripts, and certainly not cosmetic surgeries to improve the appearance of the nose.Of course, we all know that our world is far from perfect and that revisions are part of life. Still, to go through an operation with high expectations of improved appearance and increased self-esteem, and to come out disheartened, facing the possibility of another surgical procedure, is never fun. On the other hand, knowing that, though it will take some time, mistakes, even highly visible ones, can be corrected, moving closer to our desired goal, is extremely reassuring.

What are some of the reasons patients need a revision rhinoplasty?

There are many reasons a revision rhinoplasty may be necessary for a particular patient. Some have to do with the original doctor’s lack of skill or mistaken approach; others may result from unreasonable expectations on the part of the patient. Reasons for revision rhinoplasty include:

Patient’s unrealistic expectations and incomplete awareness of the surgical limitations
Unqualified or inexperienced surgeon who removes too much or too little tissue or bone
Surgeon who mistakenly mispositions the nose
Surgeon who mispositions nasal structures relative to one another
Excessive scarring which may not only be unsightly but may interfere with breathing
Unexpectedly poor healing

Although it is certainly true that the more experienced and talented the rhinoplasty specialist, the better the results are likely to be, it is also true that mistakes occur even when patients are in the care of the most highly skilled surgeons, and that there are always unpredictable factors in any surgery relative to the patient’s unexpected anatomical variations from the norm, differences in the elasticity of the patient’s skin, and variations in healing rates.

How long after your original rhinoplasty can you schedule a revision rhinoplasty procedure?

Though it is natural to be impatient for revision rhinoplasty, specialists advise that their patients wait at least one year after the first operation before scheduling another rhinoplasty procedure. This is necessary because it may take a full 12 months for all swelling to subside and scar tissue to soften. It is only after this period of time has passed that the surgeon can fully evaluate any remaining abnormalities in order to design a creative, individualized plan of repair.Patients should be aware that, on occasion, it may take more than one procedure to achieve the desired results, particularly when there have been major complications or the patient is truly disfigured as a result of the unsuccessful operation. The qualified rhinoplasty expert will probably be able to predict these multiple procedures that, far from indicating a lack of success, will merely be part of the challenging revision process.