Is It Necessary to Replace a Silicone Implant if I Simply Want a Tiplasty & a Possible Osteotomy..?

asked 9 months ago by ChristinaC in Toluca Lake, Ca
Latest answer by Charles S. Lee, MD
Question viewed 257 times
Tags: nose tip, silicone implant, osteotomy, removal, revision

I am an asian female and had primary rhinoplasty 2 yrs ago, in which my Dr. used a silicone implant to heighten my bridge and ear cartilage to improve my tip projection. I'm happy with the height of my bridge but would like to have add'l work done to my tip to further refine its appearance. In conjunction with the tiplasty, I am interested in having an osteotomy (as other Dr.'s have suggested prior to my primary) but was curious whether not my implant would have to be replaced in the process?

8 answers to Is It Necessary to Replace a Silicone Implant if I Simply Want a Tiplasty & a Possible Osteotomy..?

Tip plasty and osteotomy after silicone augmentation

Depending on the type of silicone implant used, you can have the tip-plasty and osteotomy without affecting the silicone implant.

Charles S. Lee, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

It is possible to leave your implant in place.

Hello, Yes, it is possible to leave your implant in place and have isolated tip plasty with osteotomys. Your surgeon needs to be careful to leave the implant capsule unharmed so that cross-contamination chances remain low. This will also leave the position of the implant unchanged. One caveat to this is that osteotomies can change the width of the dorsum and this may result in possible contour irregularities along the side of the implant. This is because the width... more

Manish H. Shah, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Tip Plasty and Osteotomies Without Silicone Implant Removal

A tip plasty and osteotomies can be done without removal of your silicone implant. There is always minimal risk of infection, implant movement or extrusion as there was at the time of original surgery.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Is It Necessary to Replace a Silicone Implant if I Simply Want a Tiplasty & a Possible Osteotomy..?

The tip plasty could be done without removing the dorsal silicone graft but to perform osteotomies, the nasal bones must be broken in the midline and along the base of the nose. This would require removal of the silicone dorsal graft to allow access to the mid-section of the nasal bones.

Francis R. Palmer, III, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Asian Rhinoplasty, Implant and Osteotomy?

If your surgeon is to narrow the nose by osteotomy without lowering the top of the nose, he/she will need to perform both medial and lateral osteotomies. The implant will be exposed for the medial osteotomy, and then replaced in position after the osteotomy, or a new implant can be used. In any case, just the physical maneuver of medial osteotomy will likely require some manipulation of the implant.

Steve Laverson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Tip plasty and osteotomies without removing a silicone implant.

Tip plasty and osteotomies without removing a silicone implant is possible. There is always a chance, though slight that the implant could get infected.

Toby Mayer, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Revision Asian Rhinoplasty

It depends. You should have a consultation with a board certified specialist who does Asian Rhinoplasty to determine the best way to achieve the results you desire. You should tell him/her that you are happy with the height of your bridge with your silicone implant and discuss whether it is possible to keep it. I'm sure he/she will try to keep it in place if you desire--it just depends on what additional refinements you are looking to have done.