Description

Rhinoplasty

Overview

Rhinoplasty is a surgery that is performed to change
the shape of the nose and/or improve its function. Rhinoplasty is performed to
correct deformities of the nose, caused by trauma or birth defects, which have
difficulty to breathe due to medical reasons. Besides, you may want to change
the appearance of your nose due to cosmetic reasons.

The nose is an organ that has a significant place in
facial appearance. For this reason, if appearance of the nose will be changed,
your plastic surgeon will make a special plan for you, considering the other
physical properties of your face.

If you want to undergo rhinoplasty, please consult our
plastic surgeons for techniques, expectations, and potential risks.

Why is rhinoplasty procedure done?

Only your request to change shape of your nose can be
an indication of rhinoplasty. On the other hand, a wide variety of nasal deformities
can be found, either alone or together, such as saddle nose, deviation in the
nasal septum (deviation), and collapse of the nasal wings. The purpose of all
such appearance disorders is to achieve a well balanced facial appearance.

In addition, nasal breathing may be difficulty due to
trauma or congenital defects. The aim is to restore air flow by eliminating and
correcting abnormalities of osseous and cartilaginous structures that form the
nasal cavity. Thus, both structural problems are eliminated and the normal
function of breathing is restored. Accordingly, rhinoplasty can be performed
for structural, functional and cosmetic reason(s).

You should discuss aim of rhinoplasty with our plastic
surgeon in order to get most realistic and satisfactory outcomes.

Risks

Potential risks of rhinoplasty are listed below.

Although all possible measures that modern medicine
allows are taken to prevent occurrence of risks, it is no means possible to
warrant that the risks will be completely eliminated.

• Nosebleed
• Infection
• Accumulation of blood (hematoma)
• Fluid accumulation in the incision area (seroma)
• Changes of sensation in and around the nose
• Inability to get desired result
• Injury or perforation of the wall that divides
  the nasal cavity into two (septum)
• Shortness of breath
• Persistent pain and bruising
• Anesthesia-related complications

Our expert surgery team will employ all practices to
minimize the risk of complications and our plastic surgeons will preoperatively
inform you about risks listed above and all other potential complications and
will address all your concerns.

Preparation

The first phase of preoperative preparation is same in
all Medicana Hospitals.

After you decide to have rhinoplasty and discuss with
our plastic surgeons, following examinations are performed to decide whether
you can undergo this surgery:

• Review of health history
• A detailed physical examination
• Necessary laboratory tests and radiology studies
• Assessment by anesthesiologist and other
  laboratory tests and radiology studies to minimize anesthesia-related
  complications

When you visit our plastic surgeons to discuss the
treatment options for your nose, shape and size of your nose and other facial
characteristics are first evaluated. After this assessment, your doctor will
talk to you about your treatment plan and your cosmetic expectations.

There are various techniques for reshaping the nose.
After you decide to proceed, your surgeon will explain recommendations and
treatment options in all aspects.

After it is verified that the surgery does not pose
risk, you will be asked to quit smoking, if you are a smoker, and to stop
taking certain medications that increase risk of bleeding. All other prescribed
and over-the-counter medications, herbal products and supplements will also be
questioned and you will be informed to continue or stop taking them.

You will also be instructed to stop eating and
drinking at a particular time before the surgery and you should strictly follow
this instruction in order to undergo the surgery at the scheduled date.

Moreover, it is reasonable to plan discharge,
post-discharge accommodation and travel at this phase in order to manage
postoperative period better.

Surgery and early postoperative period

Rhinoplasty can be performed under general anesthesia
or combination of local anesthesia and sedation.

As rhinoplasty requires completely personalized
planning, all steps of the surgery may vary for each patient.

Since improvement of appearance is one of basic
principles for rhinoplasty, the inner surface of nose is preferred to make the
incision to visualize the nasal bone and cartilage in rhinoplasty.

Depending on your nasal problems, the bone or the
cartilage can be removed, grafts obtained from other body parts or synthetic
materials can be used to improve the appearance and the deviated septum can be
corrected.

After the desired result is achieved, a splint is
placed on the outer surface of the skin in order to prevent new shape and
function of the nose. Moreover, wound dressings will be placed in your
nostrils.

You may feel pain and recognize swelling in your nose
after the surgery. Or, you may even notice bruising in skin of the nose. These
are expected symptoms that will spontaneously disappear within several weeks.
You will need to elevate your head to minimize risk of bleeding and swelling.

The scar tissue that forms along the incision line
will fade over time, but its color will never be identical to your skin tone.

Although you will feel minimal pain, your plastic
surgeon will prescribe pain killer pills to manage the pain.

If your plastic surgeon used non-absorbable stitches,
your doctor will instruct you the date they will be removed (usually the first
postoperative follow-up visit). Wound dressing materials in your nose and the
splint will also be removed in the same visit.

After you recover from anesthesia and you are ready to
walk, you will be mobilized by or under supervision of our healthcare
professionals.

Before you are discharged, your plastic surgeon or
another healthcare professional will inform you about the time interval that
you should rest and the time that you can start non-strenuous exercises.
Although routine daily life activities are allowed, your doctor will instruct
you to avoid strenuous works for a particular time.

You need to avoid from nasal trauma and facial
expressions that stretch the incision; you should not blow your nose and you
should be careful while dressing and undressing.

It is substantially important to follow those
instructions to facilitate recovery period and get best outcome from the
surgery. Therefore, please ask all your questions to your plastic surgeon
before you leave the hospital.

You should visit your plastic surgeon for follow-up
visits that are scheduled before you are discharged.

If you experience warmth and redness in your incision
line or nose, or if you have a fever or any symptoms that you think are due to
surgery after you are discharged, contact your plastic surgeon immediately.

Results

It takes some time to obtain all final results of the
rhinoplasty. It may, sometimes, take up to one year for all tissues that are
surgically corrected heal and take the final shape.

Rhinoplasty is an extremely personalized cosmetic
surgery and you may request or your doctor may recommend some minor revisions
after all final results are obtained. Therefore, it is reasonable to wait for
one year before definitive evaluation of results.

If you clearly inform your plastic surgeon about your expectations
before undergoing a breast augmentation, your satisfaction with outcomes will
be maximized and the risk of implant removal or revision surgery will be
minimized.