Rhinoplasty - Infection and Swelling More Than a Year Later

The tip of my nose is still pretty swelled up after 13 months of surgery. 10 months into the recovery from surgery, I had a steroid injection, which sped up the healing process, and my nose looked really great afterward. However, a month after the steroid injection, I had an infectoin which caused my nose to swell up pretty badly, and it returned to a post-op appearance and coloring. After taking antibiotics, the swelling subsided completely, after which my nose looked great. However, soon after (10 days or so), the tip of nose became swollen again, I had ear pain, and a soar throat, which I took antibiotics for. Now my nose is still swollen, especially after I wake up in the morning, I am very concerned... Suggestions?

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by Dara in US

Doctor Answers (4)
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It is unusual to have swelling and infection so many...

Hi Dara, It is unusual to have swelling and infection so many months after rhinoplasty. You need to discuss the situation with your surgeon. There are some things that can cause recurrent infections and swelling that include a foreign body, an infected implant, or an inclusion cyst. The next time that the nose is infected, a culture should be obtained if there is any discharge. If there is a fluctuant area, a needle aspiration may yield material for culture so that the type of bacteria... more

Michael A. Persky, MD

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Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

drpersky.com

You may have had an infection related to a cartilage...

You may have had an infection related to a cartilage graft or foreign material in your nose. These types of infections usually do not resolve unless the cartilage or foreign object is removed. I would suggest to ask your surgeon whether there are any permanent sutures or grafts in the tip of your nose that may cause persistent infection or swelling. If so he probably would elect to remove them. On the other hand, If there are no foreign objects or grafts, just wait for the swelling to... more

Recurrent infection

If the sore throat and ears are unrelated, it sounds like youhave a recurrent post op infection. Most likely, you have a suture that is infected, and needs to be removed. Unfortunately this will require surgry, but it is better addressd sooner rather than later. Hang in there.

Rhinoplasty problems

Long term swelling that you describe may be the sign of infection that is protracted. You should probably have it evaluated more thoroughly and possibly cultured.