I've suffered from tinnitus since Rhinoplasty and concha graft. Is this a dangerous practice?

Question

hello i had my rhinoplasty exactly 1 year ago , shortly after that I started suffering from Tinnitus which I did not have before during rhinoplasty the whole concha bowl was removed from my left ear which I now regret , i should not have allowed this to happen, I would have rather lived with a crooked and bent nose than with a mal functioning, soft ear for the rest of my life, why do surgeons still remove cartilage from the HEALTHY ear during rhinoplasty if this is such a dangerous practice?

Eric J. Yavrouian, MD · Answer

Dear Davekey, I am sorry to hearing you are having issues with tinnitus since your surgery. However, ear cartilage grafts are very safe and an effective source of cartilage for revision rhinoplasty. Tinnitus is usually caused by a high frequency nerve related hearing loss or dysfunction at the nerve level. Fortunately, a cartilage graft from the ear cannot effect your hearing nerve. However, I recommend you speak with your surgeon and also seek a consultation with an otolaryngologist to assess your hearing and tinnitus. Good luck to you.

Emmanuel Mallol Cotes, MD · Answer

Thank you very much for sharing your concerns about your Rhinoplasty with us.After having analyzed all the info provided to us, i recommend to perform a Secondary Rhinoplasty (not a tip revision) this means (basically) treat the nasal bones and the nasal cartilages.Therefore i would perform a narrowing of the nasal base (nose osteotomy) and alar and triangular cartilage shaping.Respectfully,Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.-

P. Daniel Ward, MD · Answer

Hi DaveKey,Thanks for your question. It is an important one since ear cartilage is so frequently used for nasal surgery. Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound when no external sound is present and can be a life-altering condition. It is caused by issues within the inner ear or central nervous system and is not caused by any sort of surgery on the external ear. The removal of the cartilage from the concha of the ear is not responsible for the tinnitus. However, there could be other causes that should be evaluated by an ear specialist. In addition, an ear specialist will be able to recommend possible therapies that can help with the tinnitus symptoms.Good luck!

Arian Mowlavi, MD, FACS (license on probation) · Answer

Tinnitis is not a complication of graft harvest; maybe you have some blood in your ears; I would recommend that you follow up with your surgeon so that your ear canal can be cleaned out.

I've suffered from tinnitus since Rhinoplasty and concha graft. Is this a dangerous practice?

Answers (4)

Answer: Tinnitis not a complication of graft harvest

Answer: Tinnitis not a complication of graft harvest

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I've suffered from tinnitus since Rhinoplasty and concha graft. Is this a dangerous practice?

Answers (4)

Answer: Tinnitis not a complication of graft harvest

Answer: Tinnitis not a complication of graft harvest

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.