After rhinoplasty is it common to have breathing problems?

After rhinoplasty, changes in the dynamics of air flow through the nose are very common.  A successful rhinoplasty should leave the nose looking balanced, and breathing better. Complications responsible for breathing problems after rhinoplasty are as follows: Nasal valve collapse - a narrowing of... more

The short answer is no. The typical rhinoplasty done in the 1980’s or even 1990’s relied heavily on reduction of prominent cartilage and bone to achieve a more refined look. Knowledge of the long-term effects of such techniques was spotty and, so, many unfortunate patients were left with the... more

Immediately after rhinoplasty, packing (in some cases), swelling, and mucous/bloody fluid will definitely make you feel like there is a clothespin on your nose. After a week or two, as the swelling resolves, the great majority of patients can breathe as well or even better than they did before the surgery... more

Due to the considerable amount of swelling after rhinoplasty, patients experience restriction of airflow through the nose in varying degrees.  The restriction on airflow from a rhinoplasty subsides within the first couple of weeks after the surgery.    Complete obstruction out of the nose... more

Although always a concern , this does not seem to be a common problem. I performed hundreds of rhinoplasties, and most of them are designed to reduce size of the nose. Patients are usually not bothered by the change of the nasal airway. However, if one has breathing problems before nasal surgery, the nasal... more

The goal of rhinoplasty is to improve the aesthetic appearance but also to maintain function.  However, sometimes during the early post-operative period some patients complain of difficulty with breathing.  This is usually due to swelling which improves in the first few weeks after surgery.

The goal of rhinoplasty surgery should be first to maintain function and second to achieve improved aesthetics. While there are complications of surgery which can produce difficulty breathing, such as a perforated septum or nasal collapse, in general, a well trained and experienced rhinoplasty surgeon should... more

A well-trained rhinoplasty surgeon should always examine the nose functionally to make sure that any cosmetic adjustments do not interfere with breathing. When I evaluate a patient's nose, I look at the septum and turbinates internally. I check to see how long the nasal bones are. I evaluate the openings to... more

It is important to evaluate the nasal function in addition to the appearance. A successful rhinoplasty should correct the deformity in question as well as maintain the preoperative breathing. If nasal obstruction is present preoperatively, this should also be corrected at the time of surgery.   A good... more

Nasal congestion may either be immediate or chronic with rhinoplasty / nose job surgery. Most nasal congestion after rhinoplasty surgery is due to normal postoperative swelling. A majority of this internal, as well as external, swelling resolves within a couple weeks. However, it may take a couple months for... more