How Many Follow Up Appointments Are There After Rhinoplasty?

I typically see all of my patients the day following surgery for a quick check and to answer any questions they may have.  I see rhinoplasty patients at the one week time point for splint removal and nasal cleaning.  Follow ups are then scheduled according to the individual patient's needs.  I prefer to see rhinoplasty patients at least every three months for the first year following surgery.

Every surgeon has his or her own schedule, and each patient may be individualized.  I usually see all patients the day after surgery for a check, then at one week for suture and splint removal, then at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months (and yearly after that).  If patients require more visits, I am happy to see them, and if their schedule doesn't permit this exact timeline, we work around it.  Appointments last approx. 15 minutes - 30 minutes, depending on the situation and timeline. 

In the early postoperative period 3 months after rhinoplasty, I prefer to see patients using the following schedule of postoperative visits based from the time of surgery.  


2 weeks - in most cases osteotomies (nasal bone repositioning) have been performed and the nose is still malleable.  If there is any misalignment this can be potentially improved by manipulation (with or without local anesthetic as necessary).  Internal topical nasal steroid treatment may be indicated for breathing obstruction due to peristent swelling of the nasal

4 weeks - Swelling will be 80% decreased.  This is a good time to begin low-dose steroid injections if an area of excessive tissue is suspected.

3 months - Healing will be 90% complete except for the nasal tip where swelling may not be down as much as other areas.  Usually by this time one can determine if any further surgery will be necessary to achieve the original desired result.  However, I prefer to wait 9 to 12 months to allow healing to fully finish before actually proceeding with any revision procdures.  Furthermore any patient concerns can be addressed at this time.


After the early postop period, I request annual visits from the time of surgery. Yearly followup is vital to determine how well the nasal surgery is standing up over time.  Reports have shown that long term changes due primarily to inadequate structural support or cartilage warping can occur years later following rhinoplasty.

Hopefully this has aadded some insight into your questions.

Sincerely,

Mario J. Imola, MD, DDS, FRCSC, FACS.