Revision Rhinoplasty, Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction with Dr Gruber

I started off with a crooked nose that had a severely deviated septum but normal tip cartilage. In 2009 I had surgery with a closed approach that involved trying to straighten out my nose and septum. This ended as a big fail as my septum reverted crooked and my tip and mid vault became collapsed in on the left hand side. The surgeons' response was to suggest permanent filler bio alcamid, and I never went back to see him again.

I had revision with a different surgeon in 2011 who proposed straightening the septum using the open approach and rebuilding the left side using ear cartilage. Initially it looked better but by 6 months my nose became warped and the grafts showed through, by 2 years post op I had very distressing graft mobility and inflammation that caused me to become depressed and suffer from insomnia, the onlay grafts were used as the surgeon abandoned spreader grafts because he couldn't do them and he just draped cartilage over my nose. My tip was very pinched and asymmetric. My septum was dislocated again and my nose looked far worse.

By this point any naivety or trust in a surgeon's assurance or confidence had gone. I researched extensively and became much more savvy. Previously I hadn't done any proper research or consulted with more than one surgeon. In addition I chose my surgeon for primary and first revision based on how local they were and didn't understand that skill level could vary so much.

For my second revision I consulted in person with 3 prominent surgeons in Europe and on-line with Dr Anil Shah. I was very worried about travelling from the UK to the US and didn't think that I could cope or afford the surgery but I knew of many successful Dr Gruber patients. After consulting with Dr Gruber via telephone consult I instantly felt that he was my surgeon, despite having not met him in person. I don't know why but it was a feeling that I didn't feel with any other surgeon that I consulted with. I travelled from the UK to San Francisco which is a long flight.

Dealing with his office was always a pleasure and they couldn't of been more helpful to me.

My operation lasted 4.5 hours and was extensive, the horrid mobile onlay grafts I had previously were removed. I had my internal and external valve and tip cartilages completely reconstructed and my septum had extensive work to straighten it. Ear and septal cartilage was used. My skin was lined with a blanket fascia graft.

Recovery was really, really tough and the journey home was very far from ideal. Now at 5 weeks I am recovering from an abscess that caused me to be hospitalised for 2 days and Dr Gruber has been incredibly concerned and supportive.

My results...... the redness from the inflamed grafts is gone and my skin although not perfect as it had been damaged has calmed down completely. No more angry red areas of inflammation. The shape is really amazing and symmetrical and my tip looks like it did originally before being butchered. It looks like a normal nose which considering what it like before is nothing short of a miracle. My insomnia and depression has gone. My family are so happy to have the old me back.

Doctor Gruber's age did concern me but not enough to not go ahead with my surgery and as soon as I met him, it was not an issue.