Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that corrects aesthetic deformities of the nose. Dr. Núria Mir, otolaryngologist in charge of nasal plastic and functional surgery at Dr. Jordi Coromina’s Otolaryngology Center at Teknon Medical Center, defines it as “the change of the aesthetic shape of the nasal pyramid” and contrasts it with septoplasty: the repair of the nasal septum for its correct respiratory functionality.
This distinction between aesthetic and functional correction has been, for years, a differentiating fact between the functions of a plastic surgeon and an otorhinolaryngologist. While the former was in charge of esthetic correction, the latter was in charge of functional correction. According to Dr. Mir “with the passage of time these functions have been mixed” and currently both professionals intervene to achieve a beautiful and functional nose.
How is a closed or open rhinoplasty performed?
The procedure begins with a study of the patient, where the harmony and facial proportions are taken into account, in order to simulate the final result of the surgery. “Rhinoplasty requires a certain craftsmanship and good taste,” says Dr. Mir, referring to the precision and aesthetic criteria that the surgeon must have throughout the process.
There are two models of surgery: closed and open surgery. In closed surgery “all the incisions made are made inside the nose” (endonasal route), so there are practically no marks on the outside. Open surgery, on the other hand, is performed by lifting all the skin of the nose to see the structures and operate accordingly.
Dr. Mir explains that she generally performs open surgery “only when the nose is very deformed or requires grafts”. In both cases, the operation usually lasts 2 or 3 hours, “since it requires a lot of precision and insistence”.
Risks of rhinoplasty surgery
As in any surgery there are risks, but in general they are very minor risks. In the case of rhinoplasty (cosmetic surgery), an improbable risk is that poor healing may occur and imperfections may have to be corrected in a return surgery, i.e., to operate again.
Other risks are related to grafts. Dr. Mir explains that she does not use “artificial implants such as silicone, because these can pose a risk in the long run”. When a reconstruction has to be performed, he takes parts of the patient’s rib to ensure a safe result.
Postoperative period following rhinoplasty
Once the surgery is performed, the patient has to undergo a postoperative period that lasts between 7 and 15 days. “It is not a painful postoperative period,” says Dr. Mir, “it is a little uncomfortable because the patient’s face swells up and, if a previous important destructuring of the nasal septum has also been corrected, we usually have to plug the nose for a few days”. However, “it is a fast postoperative period, with no inconveniences and no pain”.
Dr. Núria Mir is an otorhinolaryngologist and belongs to the Rhinoplasty Society of Europe as an expert in plastic and functional surgery of the nose. She is responsible for this procedure at Dr. Jordi Coromina’s ENT Center at Centro Medico Teknon.