Seth J. Davis, MD

Based on your description, it is quite possible that you did experience a period of reduced blood flow to the skin - what is most important would be an assessment of the health of the nasal skin now. Risk factors in rhinoplasty are taken very seriously since the result of tissue loss can be devastating - and a challenging problem to fix. I would recommend finding a Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon who specializes in revision rhinoplasty, and have a thorough discussion of the risks that might be specific to your case prior to proceeding with any surgical intervention.

The goals of of orbital reconstruction include the restoration of volume, appropriate repositioning of the globe, and prevention of future changes that might lead to vision problems or other issues. Because every trauma is unique, we do our best to account for the anticipated changes that happen with healing following reconstruction. While it is not clear how far out you are from surgery, it appears that you may still be in recovery - in this case, it is typically best to follow your surgeon's instructions and allow the healing process to run its course. Early revision is usually reserved for immediate concerns such as unresolving vision issues, whereas cosmetic concerns can often be more reliably addressed once post-operative swelling has completely resolved. If your concerns persist at 4-6 months out from surgery, I would recommend consulting with a Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon who could assess you in person and provide a more definitive course of action.

Synthetic implants, while often well tolerated, carry the risk of forming a scar capsule and/or seeding with infection even years after their placement. Because of this, immediate replacement with cartilage following their removal does incur some risk, and may lead to unpredictable healing/cosmetic outcomes. I will often remove these in a staged fashion, allowing new scar tissue to form before considering reconstruction with cartilage if needed to obtain the most reliable cosmetic outcome.