How difficult is it to straighten a previously broken nose?

Straightening a deviated septum and straightening a nose can be performed in the same procedure. Without photos, it is impossible to say what steps this may entail. However, with a septorhinoplasty, either via an endonasal (closed) or external (open) approach, the septum can be straightened, as can be the nose. The approach (closed vs open) depends on anatomic factors as well as surgeon preference. Whether or not your surgery requires osteotomies ("breaking" the nose again) depends on the level of deviation. If the nasal bones are straight and the deviation is confined to the lower two-thirds of your nose, it may not require to have your nose re-broken. I advise you seek the help of an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon, who also performs septoplasties as not all rhinoplasty surgeons straighten deviated septums. Good luck.

I perform straightening through the closed approach.  I would
search for the
board certified plastic surgeon who you
feel is most likely to give you
the best results and who performs hundreds of these procedures each
year. I would look at reviews and before and after pictures on that
surgeon's website. Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Because your nose was broken years ago, the tissues have healed and solidified by now.  To fix it would require re-breaking your nose under more controlled circumstances and setting it back into its proper position.  If you didn't even know that your nose had been broken previously then I would guess (since you didn't provide a picture) that it hasn't deviated from its original position too much.  Different doctors have different approaches (closed or open rhinoplasty) that they use to fix this type of problem.  I would suggest scheduling a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can exam you and determine what would work best for you.

Closed rhinoplasty techniques can straighten the nose. A deviated septum is fixed with a septoplasty procedure. Both procedures can be performed together at the same time under one anesthetic. When simply straightening the nose with a rhinoplasty procedure, osteotomies of the nasal bones are performed to narrow and straighten them. Occasionally, a spreader graft is placed in the mid portion of the nose when the upper lateral cartilages are concave and crooked as well. A dorsal hump can also be shaved down if the patient so desires. Straightening the nasal bones really doesn't change the nose all that much other than to realign it and make it symmetrical. For many examples of broken noses repaired with closed rhinoplasty techniques, please see the link and the video below

Straightening a nose that has become crooked due to trauma as well as straightening the nasal septum can be addressed with a rhinoplasty. The approach  will depend on the complexity of the surgery as well as the comfort level that the surgeon has with open vs. closed rhinoplasty. I would recommend scheduling a consultation with a rhinoplasty specialist to obtain a thorough evaluation of your nose so you better understand what needs to be done to your nose. Best of luck.

If you're going to straighten your septum it would be foolish not to straighten the entire nose at the same time. This type of rninoplasty can be very challenging so it is important that you select an experienced surgeon who can show your excellent results in similar patients. It is very important that you and your surgeon are very clear about the changes that will be made. Over 1/2 of the noses that I do are revisions of work that had been done before I see the patient; many times the results of the previous surgery are good but the patient did not achieve the appearance that they wanted.