Clear Fluid Draining After Rhinoplasty. Is This Normal?

We are often asked if fluid draining form the nose after Rhinoplasty is 'brain fluid'. It is not. The nose discharges copious amounts of clear mucous after surgery and this is often confused with CSF. The causes are multiple: normal draining of the tear ducts, packing placement and removal, allergies, mucosal trauma, and reactive mucosal secretions. This is also dependent on the amount of work done internally. Septal surgery and turbinate cautery will contribute to the discharge. Initially, it will be reddish with blood mixed in and then change to a clear watery discharge. It usually subsides after a week and is more drippy in the first few days. Don't be worried about the color, character, or taste as they are not reliable indicators of any underlying problem. Remember, Rhinoplasty does not involve working on the skull base or the cribiform area where endoscopic sinus surgery occurs. Osteotomies are done on the nasal bones, which are well away for those areas. Don't worry- it will resolve.

You are seeing the change from bleeding to serous drainage. Tne swollen eyes will come down . Be patients. It unlikely anything bad is going such as a cerebral fluid leak from the cribriform plate

Please call your operative surgeon to answer these post operative questions. Drainage is the norm but to get the correct responses always as your chosen surgeon.