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

Question

I don’t know why pneumothorax is not talked about more in rib cartilage rhinoplasties. Does pneumothorax present itself immediately when the procedure is taken place or can the complication present itself/occur in the future? (Like 50+ years)

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

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

Jacob Tower, MD · Answer

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

Selcuk Inanli, MD · Answer

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

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

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

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