Pneumothorax & revision rhinoplasty does it present or can it occur in the future? (Like 50+ years)

Many surgeons advocate the use of autologous rib cartilage for nasal reconstruction. Since the floating cartilaginous ribs are next to the chest cavity, Pneumothorax is a noted complication of harvesting rib. If this were to happen to someone, it may be noted immediately in the operating room and the treatment for this problem would be a chest tube. Hope this helps! Sincerely, Dr Joseph

Hello, hope you are well. It's probably not talked about often because it is a rare occurrence. (I have been fortunate to never experience this with one of my patients). If it happens, it occurs during surgery and presents itself immediately. I--and every other surgeon that I have observed harvesting rib--always perform a 'leak test' to check for a pneumothorax after the rib segment is removed. This way it can be treated immediately if needed. It does not happen as a delayed complication. If the potential risk is unacceptable, we have donor rib cartilage that can be used as an alternative.
Best,Dr. Tower

Hello! Thank you for your question. Unfortunately pneumothorax is not related to any kind of rib cartilage or rhinoplasty surgery. Best Regards!