Rhinoplasty Recovery- Hyper Baric Oxygen Therapy?

Question

Hi! I am just wondering as to whether hyper baric oxygen therapy would help recovery 3 months post op? My tip and columella are still very swollen, So I am wondering if this type of therapy would help? Any other suggestions for de-swelling would be great- little or big! Thank you!

Nima Shemirani, MD · Answer

Dear em1990,

	
		It is common to be swollen in the tip and columella at this point
	
		It will go down, but hyperbaric oxygen will not help
	
		Sometimes, some kenalog (a steroid) can be injected to speed up healing
	
		Talk to your surgeon and see what they say


	Best regards,

	Nima Shemirani

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used when tissues have insufficient circulation and inadequate oxygenation (perfusion problem, injury, oxygen-carrying hemoglobin poisons like carbon monoxide, etc.). Your rhinoplasty is well on the way to healing, though scar tissue softening and maturation, as well as swelling and lymphatic congestion resolution, can take up to a year to be "complete." This is why experienced rhinoplasty surgeons will recommend waiting a year in most cases before proceeding with surgical revision!

	Swelling, firmness, and numbness are absolutely normal for this point in your recovery, and time will resolve most of your concerns. In some cases judicious steroid injection may be of benefit, but would be something to ask your surgeon about.

	Hyperbaric oxygen is expensive and will add nothing to your recovery. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Howard Webster, MBBS (Hons), FRACS · Answer

Hi there,

	Im pretty sure hyperbaric therapy will be a waste of time and money for this purpose.

	It can take a long time for swelling to reduce after rhino.

	If you post before, just post surgery and current pictures of your nose it will be possible to give you better advice.

	Good luck.

Donald B. Yoo, MD, FACS · Answer

Early in your post-operative period (first 2-3 weeks), if cost is not prohibitive, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is likely to be of some benefit in decreasing the swelling after rhinoplasty. At 3 months post op I do not think you will achieve a discernible benefit. Healing after rhinoplasty can be a long process, and unfortunately time is the best therapy.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not a useful treatment for nasal swelling three months after a rhinoplasty. This is an adjunct to wound healing in tissue compromised areas, not a swelling reducer for normal tissues.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Hyperbaric oxygen is usually used for questionable wound healing issues and not for swelling.  Swelling will improve with time.

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