4 years ago, I was in an car accident hitting my nose (bottom/tip area) very hard. I didn't think it was broken at the time; the bone felt straight and I had no bleeding at all (but a lot of swelling.)
A few years later, I can see that the tip of the nose definitely goes off to the right side a little in a face-on view. It seems I must have displaced/broken the cartilage of the lower nose (septum?) without breaking the upper part or bone. How difficult would this be to fix? Thank you!
Answer: Straightening a twisted nose
Your complaint is a common one after septal injury, fracture or hematome. This is a relatively common problem. In general several steps are required to reverse the twisting caused by post traumatic healing/scarring. Firstly a separation of components must be performed. This means separation of the four major shaping cartilages from eachother and from the septum. Once they are relieved from the scarring and pressures exerted on eachother they can be assessed for form and needed interventions. the next step is to relieve distorting pressures from the central septum. this is achieved with what is commonly referred to as a submucous resection. the central septum is removed leaving the structurally important parts intact. sometimes this intervention alone is enogh to straighten the nose and repositioning of the four major cartilages is all that is necessary. Other times, the removed piece of septum must be carved into batton grafts and sewed to the septum to straighten it. Additional grafts may be necessary to achieve adequate and centralized tip projection. A well trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon should be able to deliver you beautiful results. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Rian A. Maercks M.D.
Helpful
Answer: Straightening a twisted nose
Your complaint is a common one after septal injury, fracture or hematome. This is a relatively common problem. In general several steps are required to reverse the twisting caused by post traumatic healing/scarring. Firstly a separation of components must be performed. This means separation of the four major shaping cartilages from eachother and from the septum. Once they are relieved from the scarring and pressures exerted on eachother they can be assessed for form and needed interventions. the next step is to relieve distorting pressures from the central septum. this is achieved with what is commonly referred to as a submucous resection. the central septum is removed leaving the structurally important parts intact. sometimes this intervention alone is enogh to straighten the nose and repositioning of the four major cartilages is all that is necessary. Other times, the removed piece of septum must be carved into batton grafts and sewed to the septum to straighten it. Additional grafts may be necessary to achieve adequate and centralized tip projection. A well trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon should be able to deliver you beautiful results. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Rian A. Maercks M.D.
Helpful
December 23, 2009
Answer: Where the septum goes...So goes the nose. If the tip of your nose is deviated after nasal trauma, it could be from a septal fracture. You should consult a board-certified, experienced Rhinoplasty specialist to diagnose your problem, and make specific recommendations. I hope this is helpful for you.
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December 23, 2009
Answer: Where the septum goes...So goes the nose. If the tip of your nose is deviated after nasal trauma, it could be from a septal fracture. You should consult a board-certified, experienced Rhinoplasty specialist to diagnose your problem, and make specific recommendations. I hope this is helpful for you.
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December 21, 2009
Answer: Fixing the lower part of the nose A crooked tip can result from either nasal trauma or can even be congenital in nature. It is a little bit more difficult to fix than the classic broken nose involving the nasal bones. Depending upon the extent of your injury, you may need the cartilages of the lower third of your nose reshaped or it may be just a manner of fixing the crooked septum which is pushing the lower third of your nose. In complicated situations, grafts may be required from the septum itself to camoflauge any irregularities. I hope this information helps.
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December 21, 2009
Answer: Fixing the lower part of the nose A crooked tip can result from either nasal trauma or can even be congenital in nature. It is a little bit more difficult to fix than the classic broken nose involving the nasal bones. Depending upon the extent of your injury, you may need the cartilages of the lower third of your nose reshaped or it may be just a manner of fixing the crooked septum which is pushing the lower third of your nose. In complicated situations, grafts may be required from the septum itself to camoflauge any irregularities. I hope this information helps.
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December 21, 2009
Answer: Broken noses come in many forms The typical broken nose usually describes breaking the bones, which comprise the upper 1/3 of the nose. Fixing this is a relatively straight forward procedure. Angulation of the lower 2/3 of the nose can also occur from trauma but is a little more difficult to correct. We often use grafts of your own cartilage, preferably septum cartilage, to help "shore up" the crooked cartilage. I suggest you seek out a rhinoplasty specialist for an opinion on what it will take for you to get a straight nose.
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December 21, 2009
Answer: Broken noses come in many forms The typical broken nose usually describes breaking the bones, which comprise the upper 1/3 of the nose. Fixing this is a relatively straight forward procedure. Angulation of the lower 2/3 of the nose can also occur from trauma but is a little more difficult to correct. We often use grafts of your own cartilage, preferably septum cartilage, to help "shore up" the crooked cartilage. I suggest you seek out a rhinoplasty specialist for an opinion on what it will take for you to get a straight nose.
Helpful
December 21, 2009
Answer: Deviated Nasal Tip Repair Hi Rebecca, It sounds as if you have a deviated nasal septum from your description of your injury and subsequent crookedness of your nasal tip. Fortunately you don't need to worry about the difficulty of the repair, you just need to find a rhinoplasty surgeon who is excellent at correcting your problem. The difficulty of the surgery depends upon the nature of your deformity which can only be determined after examining your nose. Degree of difficulty will be important in the upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics, but in rhinoplasty it is important to choose a skilled and experienced surgeon. Good luck and be well. Dr. P
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December 21, 2009
Answer: Deviated Nasal Tip Repair Hi Rebecca, It sounds as if you have a deviated nasal septum from your description of your injury and subsequent crookedness of your nasal tip. Fortunately you don't need to worry about the difficulty of the repair, you just need to find a rhinoplasty surgeon who is excellent at correcting your problem. The difficulty of the surgery depends upon the nature of your deformity which can only be determined after examining your nose. Degree of difficulty will be important in the upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics, but in rhinoplasty it is important to choose a skilled and experienced surgeon. Good luck and be well. Dr. P
Helpful