Revision Rhinoplasty: Q&A

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Permanent Swelling and Fluid from Revision Rhinoplasty?

I had a Revision Rhinoplasty 8 months ago on the bridge of my nose. The swelling on the bridge still comes and goes. Sometimes it's so bad that when I squeeze the lower part of the bridge (the cartilage), it seems like it's full of water because it makes a noise. So I squeeze the water out and then when I lie down or after a few minutes, the fluid comes back and makes my nose look swollen (spongy) again.

Is this a permanent side effect of the surgery? Will it ever go away? Also, since the spongy part makes my nose look bigger, would it be a bad thing to go through another surgery in a few months to make the structure thinner?

Read my review "Revision on Bridge, Still Lots of Swelling"

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nose swelling side effects

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5 Doctor Answers | Asked by sara001 in ca

Doctor Answers (5)
Community Comments (1)

Swelling in the nose with revision rhinoplasty

Prolonged swelling from surgery may be hard to discern. The puffiness may reflect fluid or lymphatic overflow.

Swelling after Rhinoplasty

This is not a “normal” outcome. It is important to have more information- was any implant placed on the area? Did you have this fluid after your first procedure? When you say you squeeze the water out, to where does it go? To make any further recommendations, I or another experienced surgeon- one with experience in both facial plastics as well as otolaryngology- would need to further evaluate you.

Revision Rhinoplasty

Historically, surgeons state that swelling of the nose after rhinoplasty can last up to a year, and even longer if it is secondary or tertiary surgery. I have found that swelling tends to resovle earlier than a year, usually around 3-6 months. But this depends on the aggressiveness of the surgery....more surgery, more inflammation means more post-operative swelling. Sounds like, at least from what you describe, that your are experiencing "edema"; the accumulation of fluid within tissue more

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Swelling post Rhinoplasty

You do not describe what was done at the time of your revision. if some soft material was placed to augument the nose, this may be what you're feeling. It could simply be prolonged swelling within the skin or deeper tissue. This would resolve with time. Discuss your concerns with your surgeon or an experienced physician.

Richard W. Fleming, MD

10 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Intermittent Swelling after Rhinoplasty

Edema after revision rhinoplasty can take up to a year to resolve, and I would presume this may be what you're dealing with. It's usually not something under the skin, but rather the skin itself that is plump. Time is your friend, and monthly visits to your rhinoplasty surgeon should provide the necessary reassurance that things are healing accordingly. Massage and osteotomy exercises can also help with late swelling after revision rhinoplaststy. I would NOT recommend another revision... more

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Comments (1)

sara001
6 months ago

It's now been 4 years since my surgery. I have the same exact issue that I described before. The issues started immediately after my surgery with this doctor and never improved. I had severe bleeding during surgery and the doctor had to cauterize an area inside my nostril right after I left the operating room. Somehow after he packed the nostril in order to stop it from bleeding further, the bones moved and became uneven looking. He did not place any implants inside my nose and reduced the cartilage in order to make my nose look less over-projected from the profile. When I squeeze the water that makes my nose puffy as a result of lying down or sitting down for a long time, I start getting a runny nose. I feel that he might have reduced the structure too much and my skin being thick hasn't been able to adjust to the new structure or perhaps never will. So water gets trapped under the skin unless I squeeze it out. In general, the swelling comes back regardless of any water being trapped with activity or heat or sitting down for too long. Also I can no longer sleep without having a tape on my nose at nights since something blocks my breathing after a few hours of sleeping. I've never had this issue with my previous surgery and with a different doctor. I'm too afraid to go through another surgery because I don't even know what's causing the problems. I'm no longer in touch with the doctor because he doesn't want to bother with my issue and honestly I don't think he knows what's going on.

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