Rhinoplasty After Staph Infection?

I had a staph infection, but all the sores are dried up and almost gone. Is it possible that I still have it? I'm going to have a Rhinoplasty in 9 days. My surgeon and dermatologist said I'll be fine, but I'm so scared that this will increase the risk. Am I overreacting?

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3 Doctor Answers | Asked by Aligirl in Los Angeles, California

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There are precautionary steps you should take

Even though the nose is a carrier for staphylococcus, it rarely becomes an infectious agent in the nose. This is because the blood supply is so good to the nose and nasal tissues. Since you have been documented to have staph, it is probably important if you are placed on some antibiotics after your surgery, and it would not be a bad idea to place bacitracin ointment in your nose for three to four days leading up to the surgery.

How did you get the staph infection?

The more important question might be how you got the staph infection to begin with. If it were some freak occurrence, then surgery should be fine once all the lesions are completely healed, not "almost" healed. OTOH, if you have some predisposition to infection--immune compromised, post chemotherapy, post transplant, HIV, etc.--then perhaps elective surgery should be avoided altogether. Make sure your doctors know why you had a staph infection. --DCP

Rhinoplasty After Staph Infections

Rhinoplasty after a staph infection can have serious implications. The most important thing to do is to make sure that both your rhinoplasy surgeon and the doctor treating you for the staph infection are in agreement that it is safe to proceed. The location, severity, type of Staph infection, and type of treatment are also important factors. Whether or not the Staph infection was the antibiotic-resistent strain, MRSA (methicillin-resistent staph aureus) is also important to consider.... more