How Can a Nose Job Cause Deaths?

First and foremost, it is important to note that death during rhinoplasty is extremely rare. In my opinion, the risk of death present during the procedure should not be a major deterrent from your decision to have the surgery. Still, that being said, it is in fact true that a patient can die while undergoing a nose job. The most common cases of death occur because of complications with anesthesia, excessive bleeding, or as the result of a previous, unrelated health concern. It is for this reason that I always advise my patients to undergo a full health examination before committing to a nose job and am sure to ask for full disclosure before recommending a rhinoplasty procedure. I advise my patients the safest anesthesia is where the airway is protected with endotracheal intubation. I would not perform a rhinoplasty under sedation or local anesthesia because the airway is not secure and the patient can have more risk.

This risk is largely associated with a severe adverse problem with anesthesia, rather than the surgery itself. Since rhinoplasty is performed on relatively young and healthy people, it is possible that latent and congenital diseases may present for the first time, or become exacerbated by the stress of surgery. If you have no family history of allergies to general anesthetic, like malignant hyperthermia or pseudocholinesterase deficiency, and if you are otherwise healthy, surgery with a reputable rhinoplasty specialist and anesthesiologist should be well tolerated.

It is an unfortuante reality that death can happen during any surgical procedure. The risk of death during a rhinoplasty is no greater than any other procedure. There is no exact number available to indicate the risk of death during rhinoplasty. For a healthy individual the risks are negligible.
The biggest risk would be related to anesthesia. The risk of death from rhinoplasty is related to osteotomies (Breaking the bones) which can cause brain injury or severe bleeding after surgery. You should not be afraid but aware of these risks. The best way to protect yourself is to find a good surgeon and then follow her/his instructions carefully.

 

Regards

Dr. J

 

Disclaimer: This answer is not intended to give a medical opinion and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.