Differentiating Between Bone and Swelling After Rhinoplasty?

Question

How do you know if the bump on your nose after surgery is bone or if its just swollen still?

C. Spencer Cochran, MD · Answer

Following a hump removal during rhinoplasty, it is very common for there to be excessive swelling over the central portion of the nasal bridge overlying the area where the boney hump was removed.
If the bone was adequately reduced, that bump should disappear as the swelling subsides over the first several months. If the hump persists beyond the first several months, it may indicate that the hump was not entirely reduced during the surgery.
Most surgeons recommend waiting a full year after a rhinoplasty before making any deteriminations as to whether a revision is needed. In some cases it can take the full 12 months for all of the swelling to subside.
Reduction of the residual hump can easily be performed with further rasping (filing down) of the hump through intranasal incsisions. There is usually minimal downtime and minimal bruising and swelling.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

A bump after 6-12 months is bone or cartilage. See an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon to evaluate your problem and guiding you as to the best way to correct it.

Richard W. Fleming, MD (retired) · Answer

Swelling after Rhinoplasty will resolve with time; residual bone will not. After the normal swelling has resolved, the answer to your question will be obvious. If ultimately there is prominence of the bone, this can be corrected.

Differentiating Between Bone and Swelling After Rhinoplasty?

Answers (3)

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