Cartilage protruding after primary rhinoplasty 5 years ago, can it be removed? (Photo)

Within the right nostril there is projection of cartilage. To be more accurate this is the medial crus of the lower lateral cartilage. This piece of cartilage normally forms the columella which separates the two nostrils. This piece of cartilage may be projecting into the nostril because the septum (which sits behind this cartilage) is deviated. I advise that you have a full assessment of your nose to rule out septal deviation. If this is the case a septorhinoplasty procedure would be needed to correct this cartilage projection. If the septum is not deviated, the projected cartilage can potentially be re-positioned using sutures with rhinoplasty surgery.

Since the foot plates of your medial crura seem to be intact and relatively symmetrical, and since the base of your nose is a bit crooked, that piece of cartilage may well represent a deviated nasal septum. An examination would be able to confirm this. Please consider meeting with several reputable rhinoplasty specialists so you could see what might be best for you moving forward. Thank you. Sincerely, Dr Joseph

Hello, your problem mostly about your tip cartilages. It can be fixed with a tip rhinoplasty procedure.

Yes, if this is just a small localized area, it may be able to be done under local anesthesia. If it represents a larger problem, like the septum deviating remarkably then it will require a bigger operation. A physical examination is needed to determine what is going on and what needs to be done.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

That looks like cartilage from the lower end of your septum. Quite easy to remove under local anesthesia. I do it almost routinely in my noses to avoid this problem

This seem to be a simple problem that needs surgical correction. Only on the basis of in person evaluation one could decide what exactly needs to be done. Hope this helps.

It's possible to address cartilage protrusion after rhinoplasty through a revision procedure. Consult with a qualified plastic surgeon or your original surgeon to assess your specific situation. They can provide insights into the feasibility of removing the protruding cartilage and discuss potential options for revision surgery.

Best of luck !

Hi pd951, thanks for the question and the photo. The picture does look like a piece of cartilage pushing out from the columella. It is common in rhinoplasty to add cartilage to the columella in order to obtain better structure of the nasal tip. It could also be that, as your nose has aged, the cartilage has deviated over time and you are left with progressively more visible cartilage in the columella. Either way, a rhinoplasty is an option to address this. Hope this answer helps, good luck in your journey.

To make an assessment regarding the outcome of any plastic surgery procedure we generally need to see a complete set of proper before and after pictures. Without seeing before, and after pictures, we can’t begin to understand what was done during the procedure.
If you don’t have before, and after pictures, then contact your surgeon and ask them to forward the pictures they took. Plastic surgeons are obligated to maintain medical records, including before, and after pictures for many years after the doctor-patient relationship has been terminated.
Consider re-posting with before and after pictures or schedule an in person consultation with plastic surgeons in your community who have extensive rhinoplasty experience.
We can’t really give you a quality assessment, or answer without having complete information.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD