Bumps in Nose Bridge After Septoplasty and Rhinoplasty

Hi Twroxy,

Dorsal humps on the nose are formed by both bone and cartilage. After rhinoplasty, there is sometimes swelling in the area where the bone and cartilage meet in the upper 1/3 of the nose. The periosteum (the tough tissue that hugs the bone...think spare ribs...hope you're not a vegan) takes time to settle from the inflammatory reaction after surgery.

Steroid shots sometimes help, but tincture of time (don't try to find that in your local pharmacy) is the best remedy. So limit the freaking out to other aspects of your life.
If after 6 months there is still a problem that troubles you, then it is time to consider revision rhinoplasty.

Good luck and be well.

Dr. P

The type of contour irregularity that you describe is very
common following rhinoplasty surgery. During this procedure the nasal bones are filed and the nasal cartilage
is shaved to reshape the nose. It’s not
unusual to have residual boney irregularity, cartilaginous irregularity,
scarring and swelling following this procedure.When these bumps occur, they can usually be felt, but not seen.In some cases, they may be visible as well
and this can be a major source of anxiety for patients.In the
vast majority of cases this problem resolves without secondary surgery as the
soft tissue swelling disappears and the underlying structures undergo
remodeling.In many cases this can be
facilitated with gentle massage. In some
cases, these deformities persist and secondary rhinoplasty is necessary.It’s
important to wait at least six to twelve months before proceeding with
revisional surgery. During this time, scar
tissue softens, swelling resolves and underlying structures remodel.The situation stabilizes and the surgeon is
no longer trying to hit a moving target.If you
have concerns about contour irregularities following rhinoplasty surgery, good
communication with your surgeon is essential.Your surgeon has probably seen this before and should be able to
reassure you regarding your ultimate result.

A septoplasty combined with a rhinoplasty is an excellent surgery to correct deformities in the nose as well is to improve the airway and breathing function of the patient. After surgery, the area the nasal bridge may experience prolonged swelling. This is because in a small cross-section, you have mucosa, cartilage, bone, muscle, and a thin layer of fascia, and skin in a very small area. Each of these structures will swell after surgery. For this reason, you may not see the final results of your surgery for 6 to 8 months. If you have waited this period of time, you may have some excess bone and cartilage on your nasal bridge that was not removed during your first surgery. At this time, be sure to make a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon who is a great deal of experience in rhinoplasty and discuss which options may be for this area. If it is a significant concern, your surgeon may recommend a revision rhinoplasty. However, this should only be done once the healing has completed an approximate 10 to 12 months after your first surgery.
 

You state that the bump you are describing was present before your surgery so it would be helpful to ask your surgeon whether or not any part of the procedure addressed the bump. If a technique was performed to reduce the bump you will have to wait until all the swelling and healing reaction completes itself to see if the bump will be corrected.

Hopefully your bump will go away in the near future. Your surgeon is already using  steroids, which can accelerate resolution of the swelling. If you're not ultimately satisfied, this is frequently a minor revision. Please don't expect perfection at one month.