Rhinoplasty: Q&A

Ask a Question

Lumpy Cartilage After Open Rhinoplasty

I had an open Rhinoplasty three months ago, and I now have quite a bit of lumpy cartilage up my nose. Is this normal/part of the healing process? Is this scar tissue, and will it go away in time? I'm also not seeing any results yet and my nose still looks wide at the base.

Tags:

cartilage lumps

Comment on this

18 Doctor Answers | Asked by mynewme in orange park florida

Doctor Answers (18)
Community Comments (0)

Lumpy cartilage after rhinoplasty: Do you see it or feel it?

Cartilage grafts are very common during rhinoplasty. When you say lumpy cartilage, do you mean that you can see it or feel it. If you can see it, that may be a concern that you want to discsuss with your surgeon. If you can feel it, I would not worry at this point but give it time for the swelling to resolve which as stated can take up to a year. Did the surgeon attempt to narrow your nostrils and did you request this.? If they narrowed the nose at the base, then it can be wide due to... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Bumps can be caused by different things

The nose can take 10-12 months to fully settle down. It is not unusual to feel mild asymmetries and contour irregularities for weeks after rhinoplasty. That being said, you should go see your surgeon and voice your issues so that he/she can examine you and help in the assessment. Bumps can be caused by post-surgical swelling, scar tissue, cartilage asymmetries, and bone shavings or spicules. I usually let patients massage the areas of concern to see if they get better. Taping can help. ... more

Lumps After Open Rhinoplasty

It's normal to have swelling in the tip and base of the nose for months after open Rhinoplasty. Check with your surgeon to see if the irregularities you see and feel are normal post-op swelling, or require attention.

Scar tissue or cartilage misplaced?

Without an exam it is difficult to discern whether the area will resolve or not. What does our surgeon say? Most surgeons will not recommend any revision for at least six months. However, at three months the overall shape should be somewhat pleasing and symmetrical.

Talmage J. Raine, MD

5 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Hard to tell

Lumpiness from a rhinoplasty is difficult to asses without examining you. It could be scar tissue but it is more likely cartilage grafts that may have shifted. A wide base may be becuase the base was not treated successfully, but with open rhinoplsaty, you should really give it a year before you fully assess it for revisional work..

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Bumps 3 Months After Open Rhinoplasty

Hi MNM, Your question is difficult to answer without examining you, and knowing what your rhinoplastic surgeon did. You should return to your surgeon for a check up. Occaisionally after rhinoplasty patients may feel bumps inside of their nostrils where the incisions have been made. These usually lessen with time. There can also be cartilage edges in "new" places which usually will not go away unless excised. If your lumps are internal, my best advice is to keep your inquisitive... more

Michael A. Persky, MD

21 reviews

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

drpersky.com

Irregularity After Open Rhinoplasty

If one has irregularity or lumps after rhinoplasty, depending on how early post operatively, one can massage that area. If it is present for much after three months and it is hard then it is something that may require a minor in office rasping which is not uncommon. I would wait at least 3-6 months before I would consider doing anything.

Rod J. Rohrich, MD

10 reviews

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Lumpy post op

Persistent swelling after an open rhinoplasty is not unusual and can take 6 to 9 months to show good resolution. However assymetric and palpably lumpy cartilage may be a problem. As the swelling subsides any cartilage grafts or implanted material may now be coming visible . Also any assymetry in how the cartilages were cut or sewn together may also now be visible. Talk to your surgeon, find out exactly what maneuvers were done in your nose, wait 6 to 9 months and if the problem... more

Cartilage Lumps and Swelling After Open Rhinoplasty

Believe it or not, swelling of the nose following rhinoplasty can take up to a full year to completely resolve. It is at that point that most rhinoplasty surgeons consider the result to be final. Cartilage 'lumps' that you feel may represent tiny remnants or shavings of cartilage that remained following the procedure. These small bits of cartilage are usually resorbed over time. They may also represent edges of the sculpted nasal cartilages which often... more

Cartilage and lumps after nose surgery

Very good question. The lumps may be a result of cartilage remnants or edges and it is uncertain whether these areas will resorb or stay longterm. The uncertainty comes because only your surgeon knows the origin of those uneven areas. In most cases, however, they resorb.

Lumpy cartilage bump after open rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty is a popular and effective surgery to recontour the shape of your nose. Patients who have this procedure should expect some swelling after the surgery. However, it is not common to see an even bumps three months after the procedure. These bumps may be from cartilage or cartilage grafts if they were used in this area. Your best bet is to return to your plastic surgeon and let them know of your concerns. They will assess the bumps to determine the cause. They may recommend a... more

Waiting after surgery is the hard thing

Its hard to tell at this moment. Your nose is swollen and so masks the underlying structural changes. The lump could be cartilage. Sometimes its possible to tell even at this early stage. But this would require an experienced hand. Even though the nose is swollen, it should be symmetric. If its not, then you may in fact have a problem. The degree of which will become clear in time.

Still too early to see final Rhinoplasty result

Rhinoplasty may take up to a year to see the final result. This is especially true after an open rhinoplasty because there is more dissection and more possibility of scar tissue formation. At the same time, I find that gives me better results because I can actually see the cartilage that is being modified. You should keep regular appointments with your surgeon over the first year to assess the progress, and if revisions are necessary. There are different options he can discuss with you. more

May still improve

At 3 months, you should be seeing basically a slightly swollen version of the end result. There is still some swelling present at three months and some scar tissue will continue to soften. If there is quite a bit of irregularity at this time you may need a revision. Unfortunately, you need to wait until one year from surgery before I would recommend revision rhinoplasty. Things will continue to evolve and your plastic surgery does not want to be working on a moving target. Hopefully,... more

Give Rhinoplasty results more time

Having small cartilage irregularities can potentially happen after Rhinoplasty. If you can feel them but not see them, then I wouldn't recommend doing anything about it. If however you can see them, there are two possibilities. One is it is scar tissue buildup, the other possibility is that it is the edge of a cartilage graft or cut that was made. Unfortunately, swelling takes a long time to go away after Rhinoplasty surgery. So I would say that you would need to give it some more time to... more

Lumpy Cartilage

I agree with my Colleagues it is best to wait 6 to 12 months for the swelling to resolve. However if there is visible lumps, irregularity or asymmetry a hyaluronic filler may be appropriate to smooth things out until your healing is complete.

There are a number of reasons

The lumpy cartilage in the nose may be a result of cartilage grafting or warpage that can occur in the postoperative phase. It can also be caused by edema and swelling in the postoperative phase. It could also be scar tissue, but at this point the scar tissue will subside in time, and no further surgery should be performed for at least one year after the surgery.

Multiple Possibilities

At three months, your nose is not nearly healed, but enough swelling has resolved that you can start to see some detail. You may be seeing excess scar tissue formation, visible cartilage grafts, or warping of cartilage. Best case you may be looking at some stubborn local swelling. With luck, your doctor may recommend some massage, or even a steroid injetion (though this is somewhat painful). Worst case scenario, you may require a secondary procedure to correct the problem. It is usual to... more