I have a sort of uneven nose - on one side it has a tiny bump and the tip looks a bit different. It also looks as if the nose is "leaning" to one side of my face and I have a deviated septum too. I suspect I fractured it when I was younger (I remember the event that would have caused it). I want to get this checked out, but is it possible for a doctor to tell if it has been broken or not when the trauma happened about 10 years ago? And would he/she be able to tell how long ago it happened?
Answer: Nasal surgery to straighten the broken nose The crooked nose can be straightened with the rhinoplasty procedure. Trauma to the nose can result in a fracture of the nasal bones and a dislocation of cartilages off of the nasal bones. A deviated septum can also occur from nasal trauma. A septoplasty is performed for a deviated septum which is blocking air flow in the back of the nose, and is done for medical necessity. A septoplasty will not have any bearing on the shape of the nose, only to improve air flow. It is not possible to tell from looking in the nose how long ago the nose has been broken. For many examples of broken noses we have repaired in our practice with closed rhinoplasty techniques, please see the link and the video below
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Answer: Nasal surgery to straighten the broken nose The crooked nose can be straightened with the rhinoplasty procedure. Trauma to the nose can result in a fracture of the nasal bones and a dislocation of cartilages off of the nasal bones. A deviated septum can also occur from nasal trauma. A septoplasty is performed for a deviated septum which is blocking air flow in the back of the nose, and is done for medical necessity. A septoplasty will not have any bearing on the shape of the nose, only to improve air flow. It is not possible to tell from looking in the nose how long ago the nose has been broken. For many examples of broken noses we have repaired in our practice with closed rhinoplasty techniques, please see the link and the video below
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January 10, 2015
Answer: Septorhinoplasty Candidate Dear Annacb13, Many patients fracture their nose at some point in their childhood years and will often remember a trauma that they coincide with the deviated septum in later years. When or if there was trauma to the nose is irrelevant to the surgery itself and does not play into the final result. If it is a recent trauma or a traumatic event that has played psychologically into the patient i.e. crime victim, child abuse, battery then this is important on the stand point of the patients overall psychological state and is taken into consideration when helping the patient recover. If both functional and aesthetic changes are required then you would be a candidate for a septorhinoplasty which is a combined procedure addressing both factions. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.
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January 10, 2015
Answer: Septorhinoplasty Candidate Dear Annacb13, Many patients fracture their nose at some point in their childhood years and will often remember a trauma that they coincide with the deviated septum in later years. When or if there was trauma to the nose is irrelevant to the surgery itself and does not play into the final result. If it is a recent trauma or a traumatic event that has played psychologically into the patient i.e. crime victim, child abuse, battery then this is important on the stand point of the patients overall psychological state and is taken into consideration when helping the patient recover. If both functional and aesthetic changes are required then you would be a candidate for a septorhinoplasty which is a combined procedure addressing both factions. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.
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