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How Difficult is It to Fix Broken Nose Tip?

asked 2 years ago by Rebecca11 in New York
Latest answer by Rian Maercks, MD
Question viewed 2,488 times
Tags: nose, broken nose, cartilage, septum, straighten, swelling, tip

4 years ago, I was in an car accident hitting my nose (bottom/tip area) very hard. I didn't think it was broken at the time; the bone felt straight and I had no bleeding at all (but a lot of swelling.)

A few years later, I can see that the tip of the nose definitely goes off to the right side a little in a face-on view. It seems I must have displaced/broken the cartilage of the lower nose (septum?) without breaking the upper part or bone. How difficult would this be to fix? Thank you!

14 answers to How Difficult is It to Fix Broken Nose Tip?

Broken nasal tip can be repaired

A 'broken" nasal tip, composed of only cartilage, can be repaired. Although it is more difficult to correct deviation of the cartilage, improvement can be achieved by a good rhinoplasty surgeon..

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Straightening a twisted nose

Your complaint is a common one after septal injury, fracture or hematome. This is a relatively common problem. In general several steps are required to reverse the twisting caused by post traumatic healing/scarring. Firstly a separation of components must be performed. This means separation of the four major shaping cartilages from eachother and from the septum. Once they are relieved from the scarring and pressures exerted on eachother they can be assessed for... more

Rian Maercks, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Fixing a Broken Nasal Tip

It is quite possible to dislocate or otherwise injure the cartilaginous septum or tip cartilages without fracturing the nasal bones. It could certainly present in the fashion you are describing. A thorough examination should be able to determine what is causing the problem and surgery should most likely be able to improve the situation although warping of the cartilage can sometimes make the surgery technically more difficult. Best of Luck

Jon F. Harrell, DO
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.westonsurgery.com

Fixing a broken nasal tip

It is certainly common to fracture cartilage independently of the nasal bones during an accident involving the nose. This can cause the nasal tip to be twisted and appear very asymmetric. The septum and tip cartilages can be broken, twisted, and warped over time from a nasal injury. Very frequently structural cartilage grafts are harvested from the inside of the nose and placed internally to augment the twisted portion of the nose to create more symmetry. This also usually allows for... more

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Is it difficult to fix a broken nose

A skilled rhinoplasty surgeon should be able to correct the displaced or deformed nasal tip, whether or not it is from direct trauma. If there is no displacement of the nasal bones, they do not have to be broken (osteotomies). However, the upper half of the nose where the nasal bones are present will remain unchanged. In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to perform osteotomies of the nasal bones in order to better realign the nose. In your case, this may not be necessary and... more

Sigmund L. Sattenspiel, MD
Freehold Facial Plastic Surgeon

Where the septum goes...So goes the nose.

If the tip of your nose is deviated after nasal trauma, it could be from a septal fracture. You should consult a board-certified, experienced Rhinoplasty specialist to diagnose your problem, and make specific recommendations. I hope this is helpful for you.

Eric M. Joseph, MD
West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.ericmjoseph.com

Broken nose repair

Correcting a deviation sustained from a broken nose can be accomplished by a board certified plastic surgeon. This is a very common procedure. Like you said, it sound like a septum that may have fractured.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Fixing broken nose tip should be done by boarded surgeon

It is an operation that MUST be done by a boarded surgeon. Go see 3 in your area in person to get a variety of opinions. Internet opinions are ok but in person evaluations is the best alternative. Merry Merry.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Fixing the lower part of the nose

A crooked tip can result from either nasal trauma or can even be congenital in nature. It is a little bit more difficult to fix than the classic broken nose involving the nasal bones. Depending upon the extent of your injury, you may need the cartilages of the lower third of your nose reshaped or it may be just a manner of fixing the crooked septum which is pushing the lower third of your nose. In complicated situations, grafts may be required from the septum itself to camoflauge any... more

Scott Trimas, MD
Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Nose tip is corrected with internal sutures and grafts.

Hi. You need some variation of a tip rhynoplasty. There has been a lot of progress with tip surgery. The end of your septum may be deviated. The tip cartilages themselves can now be individually sculptured by slight resection, internal sutures, and different small cartilage grafts.

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Broken noses come in many forms

The typical broken nose usually describes breaking the bones, which comprise the upper 1/3 of the nose. Fixing this is a relatively straight forward procedure. Angulation of the lower 2/3 of the nose can also occur from trauma but is a little more difficult to correct. We often use grafts of your own cartilage, preferably septum cartilage, to help "shore up" the crooked cartilage. I suggest you seek out a rhinoplasty specialist for an opinion on what it will take for you to get a... more

Steven J. Pearlman, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Don't worry about difficulty of fixing broken nose tip

See a Plastic Surgeon, with a lot of experience in rhinoplasties (especially with both a plastic surgery and ENT background) and let us examine your nose and then tell you what needs to be done. Sounds like it can be fixed.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Deviated Nasal Tip Repair

Hi Rebecca, It sounds as if you have a deviated nasal septum from your description of your injury and subsequent crookedness of your nasal tip. Fortunately you don't need to worry about the difficulty of the repair, you just need to find a rhinoplasty surgeon who is excellent at correcting your problem. The difficulty of the surgery depends upon the nature of your deformity which can only be determined after examining your nose. Degree of difficulty will be important in the upcoming... more

Michael A. Persky, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Tip rhinoplasty following nasal trauma

It sounds as if you damaged the cartilage of your nose at the time of your injury. You do not need to break the bone of your nose to have subsequent deformity of the nasal tip following an injury. Although the discomfort of rhinoplasty is not quite as significant if no bony work needs to be performed, fixing a deviated nasal tip is generally a challenging procedure for the experienced rhinoplasty surgeon. The cartilage has memory and your tip has the propensity towards being bent towards the... more