Is It a Must to Put on a Cast After Rhinoplasty?

When osteotomies (fracturing of the nasal bones) are performed, or when the structure of the nose is altered, it is necessary to place a hard cast on the nose for the first week following surgery. This ensures your nose heals properly in its new shape. After the cast is removed, you will have brown paper tape on the nose for another week. Not so bad considering you'll get a lifetime of joy from your new nose. Good luck.

Any rhinoplasty that involves osteotomies (bony cuts along the middle and sides of the nose) should have a cast or splint. This protects the bony areas during the healing period to make sure they heal in the proper form. The cast also keeps swelling to a minimum. Some tip only rhinopasties (ones that only involve the cartilage of the tip of the nose) do not require a cast and can just be taped for compression for the week.

It is traditional to place an external cast after rhinoplasty. However it's not necessary. The argument for a cast is based on stabilizing the fractured nasal bones during the initial critical days after surgery. The other argument is it reduces swelling. Neither of these have been clearly proven to be true. However since the complications of having a cast placed is very remote, most surgeons continue the practice. It's the attitude "Since there's no harm, and it might help...." Its the internal stents which are the more critical part many surgeons feel.

Hello,

Whenever osteotomies come to be a part of a given rhinoplasty then splints are required to keep the nasal bones in place to heal properly.

Therefore, when the surgeon does not address the nasal bones a "cast" is not necessary hence the swelling will be minimized.

I hope this helps.

Thank you for your inquiry.

The best of luck to you.

Dr. Sajjadian

Casts, or dorsal splints, are applied to the exterior of the nose often after rhinoplasty. Usually all rhinoplasties have tape placed on the nose to decrease swelling and keep tissues in the proper position while healing. However, a cast is applied when the bones are broken, in order to keep them in correct position while the nose swells during the healing process. There is no reason to be concerned about having a cast placed, and the best option is to leave it to the discretion of your surgeon.

If I perform a rhinoplasty without cutting the nasal bones (osteotomies) I will only place tape to minimize swelling. If osteotomies are performed then a splint is typically used to keep the bones in place for one week while they heal.Stephen Weber MD, FACS

A cast is only placed on the nose with patients who undergo osteotomies.  If osteotomies are not required, no cast is required.  Most rhinoplasties do require an osteotomy, therefore, the cast is applied.

If you have any bone work done or septal work done then yes you need splints to hold those structures in place while they heal. Usually you have them on for one week. If you have some special situation then your surgeon will tell you how long they feel you need splints. I splint every single Rhinoplasty that has bone work or septal work done. Obviously for bone work the splint is on the outside of the nose, and for septal work the splints are inside the nostrils.

 I have performed Rhinoplasty for 25 years and honestly, no a cast is not required in all Rhinoplasty cases but is beneficail in all of them.  The difference is the following.  A cast is required to stabilize nasal bones that are broken during a Rhinoplasty.  When no bones are broken, the cast is not required but does limit the amount of swelling immediately after the Rhinoplasty and is therefore beneficial.  Hope this helps.

 

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding the need of a cast for rhinoplasty surgery. Most rhinoplasty procedures I use a splint or small tape cast after surgery. In Septoplasty procedures when no osteotomies are done then I will not use a cast at that time. I hope this is helpful in answering your question. Best regards!