Is It Possible to Have a Minimally Invasive Rhinoplasty?

Correction of a small dorsal hump and minor nose tip revision should be easily performed without having to do an open rhinoplasty. A small incision made on the upper/inner border of your nostril should be enough. This should produce the least amount of swelling. FYI, nasal packing has fallen out of favor. Most surgeons use splints to keep airway open.

Best wishes,

Dr. H

There is no such thing as totally non-invasive rhinoplasty, but one can certainly improve the appearance by doing dorsal augmentation with a  hyaluronic acid filler such as Restylane in the nasal dorsum  and tip areas.  One must do so very carefully and should preferentially be done by someone who performs rhinoplasty. However, the only way to get a permanent result is to have an operative procedure in the hands of a Board Certified Otolaryngologist or Plastic Surgeon with expertise in rhinoplasty.

I read your concern: If you're going to have your tip cartilages worked on, along with your bump, you will experience some degree of nasal obstruction after Rhinoplasty Surgery. Some patients are bothered by this more than others. Your airway should be fairly open by 2 weeks post-op. Your surgeon may elect to prescribe a mild anxiolytic at bedtime to get you through the immediate post-op period.

In my practice, packing is not routinely placed after Rhinoplasty Surgery, and some of my patients breathe fine in the recovery room. Since all nose job surgery (even the slightest alteration) is finesse work, you may want to consult several reputable rhinoplasty specialists to see what you migh expect to experience after Rhinoplasty Surgery. I hope this is helpful for you. Dr. Joseph

Many patients worry about having their noses packed after rhinoplasty surgery. Actually, the days of placing yards of packing in the nose are over, however, you will continue to hear horror stories from family and friends about this surgery. If you need your septum straightened, you may require splints placed in your nose, these have a breathing channel and make your nose stuffy, like when you have a bad cold. Occasionally, in certain patients, we can sew the septum in a way that does not require the placement of splints. Of course, if your septum is straight, you can have a rhinoplasty with no packing or splints at all!

You are correct in being concerned about post operative nasal obstruction in rhinoplasty.  However, the less you want changed, the less likely you will have post operative problems, particularly if the septum is not operated on.  Finesse Rhinoplasty is a termed that Rhinoplasty surgeons use to describe those cases that require very little intervention but the results are very impressive.  The term also implies that if those procedures are not done well, then the nose can look worse.  That is, a nose that is already a 9, has a risk of falling to an 8 or 7 if the rhinoplasty does not go well, but can become a 10 if a finesse rhinoplasty is done appropriately.  I hope this helps, Best, Dr. Phil 

You should always prepare yourself "for the worst". So plan on there being enough swelling that it might make you feel as though you can't breathe through your nose. Technique, ice, elevation, steroids and Arnica Montana are all things that can be used to decrease the swelling. Finesse rhinoplasty is somebody's marketting strategy for doing a good job.

In many cases a rhinoplasty can be performed using a "closed technique" with small pockets in which to place strategic grafts to esthetically enhance the nose.  A good consultation with your surgeon can determine if such a technique is suitable for you.

 

 

 

 

 

The rhinoplasty procedure will not create permanent total nasal obstruction.  We do not put any packing whatsoever inside the nose.  That has been out of favor now for over 20 years.  However, expect to feel stuffy and congested (like a bad cold) for the first few days after surgery.  For claustrophobic patients we place a small amount of cortisone into the inferior turbinates inside the nose while the patients are asleep to help minimize post-operative nasal obstruction.  A finesse rhinoplasty is simply an adjective that describes taking great care to give the patient a nice result with their nose job.  

The term "minimally invasive rhinoplasty" is more of a marketing gimmick than an actual procedure.  Nose surgery is always invasive by it's very nature.  The amount of surgery necessary to obtain the desired results will vary from patient to patient. The more surgery you have, the more post operative swelling you will have.  I have found over the years that most patients come into the office with one or two concerns but upon further review of the nose more usually has to be done in order to obtain the best result.  Nasal packing is very rarely used after surgery and if packing should be necessary there are types of packing with tubes in it to allow you to breath through your nose.  Be sure to discuss your concerns with your board certified plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon during your consultation.  I am sure that you will done fine and will be very pleased with your result. 

Dr.Donald Brown. 

Minimally invasive nasal surgery is a semantic (and marketing) term. Doing any surgery is invasive though some are much more involved (invasive?) than others. If you have a very minimal rhinoplasty (less invasive) but it doesn't address your problem because it is a limited procedure, does that benefit you?

Of course not!

Whatever is required in order to address the issues and deformities of your nose - that is what should be done. Anything less (or less invasive) will fall short of correcting your issues and will result in a less than ideal result.

Packing or splints placed inside the nose are not used by many rhinoplasty surgeons in the majority of their cases - so this can be a consideration for you in deciding on pursuing the procedure.