After the nose job is done, how will I be able to breathe after rhinoplasty? Will I be OK breathing through my mouth?

Question

Is there a breathing tube that can help me to breathe ?

Rajan Uppal, MBBS, FRCS · Answer

This is the most common question I get asked by my rhinoplasty patients. The actual answer is that yes when a large nose is made smaller there is a sensation of reduced breathing. If this becomes a problem then your surgeon can offer you a procedure to elevate the upper lateral cartilages to improve the internal valve. Most patients may not need this. I actually incorporate this manoeuvre into most of my rhinoplasty surgeries.

Bryan G. Forley, MD · Answer

It is typical to expect to breathe through your mouth during the recovery phase after rhinoplasty due to internal nasal swelling. The speed at which the swelling resolves will vary and also depends on the extent of the surgery as not all rhinoplasties are the same.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Breathing after a rhinoplasty usually  is restricted for the first couple weeks due to the swelling for the rhinoplasty itself. Patients usually are able to get some airflow through the nose, as long as there is no packing placed on the inside of the nose

Grigoriy Mashkevich, MD · Answer

Most patients experience various degrees of congestion following rhinoplasty surgery, and most tolerate it rather well. If you have concerns about not being able to breath through your nose for several days, speak with your surgeon - it is possible to use splints containing a hollow tube though which you will be able to breath.Grigoriy Mashkevich, MDNew York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

If you nose is not packed, then you will be able to breathe through your nose. You might become clogged and have to breathe through your mouth. I do not allow patients to blow their nose for 3 weeks, and only after they have the splint removed and can shower ( after one week) do I allow them to gently clean their nose with a q-tip.

Barry M. Weintraub, MD, FACS · Answer

Good morning and thank you for your inquiry. Packing is no longer used in my office after rhinoplasty. On rare occasion inflatable splints, somewhat like tampons with tubes to breath through, are often employed. More often than not, the inside of the nose is cleanly sutured and in many cases does not require sponges that obstruct breathing at all.  If you have had a rhinoplasty and currently have sponges in place, one often overlooked important detail is to drink enough liquids, as people can become dehydrated when they breathe solely through their mouths.

Alexander Ovchinsky, MD · Answer

I advise all my patient that they should be ready to primarily breathe through the mouth first week after rhinoplasty. Even though I never use nasal packing after rhinoplasty, the nose is still congested due to swelling, some blood clots, etc. I usually do a thorough nasal cleaning 6 days after the surgery at which point most patients are able to breathe through the nose comfortably.

Dennis Barek, MD (retired) · Answer

Nasal breathing will be impaired with or without packing. I often use  small vestibular packings for 24 hours, if no. septoplasty or turbinate surgery was done. Breathing is congested for a week or so.

After the nose job is done, how will I be able to breathe after rhinoplasty? Will I be OK breathing through my mouth?

Answers (8)

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