Is my breathing doomed after aggressive rhinoplasty?

Question

I had a rhinoplasty done abroad. Aggressive lateral osteotomy, alarplasty cutting in alar lobule, way more than 5mm, my bulbous nose (u-shaped) turned in a V-shape with a rigid graft, and have nasal valve collapse - nostrils sucking in when i inhale hard. It's hard to breathe and I find myself choking alot at night and it's causes me anxiety, I have to breathe through my mouth mainly. I am waiting until I can be eligible for a revision, is it possible to restore breathing function to 100% and restore a wider, bulbous looking nose? Or am I doomed forever and can only get 30-50% breathing back with a revision? Please help

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. A careful examination of your nose would be needed to make the best advice here. Depending on your anatomy, there are likely many maneuvers that could help improve your breathing. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified rhinoplasty surgeon who can evaluate you in person.

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

With proper techniques your breathing and appearance can be improved. Best to wait one year before seeking a revision. The revision will more than likely require cartilage grafting to the nose, either from the septum, or from other sites.

Waleed Ezzat, MD, FACS · Answer

I'm sorry you are going through this.  As a revision specialist, I see quite a bit of these cases.  A good rhinoplasty surgeon sees their results out over 1 year - minimum.  This is critical to understand how the nose heals over time and to know what works and what doesn't in your hands.  This is not uniformly reinforced when you go abroad for surgery.

The honest answer is that, in most instances, improvement can be made.  How much depends on how aggressive the procedure was and what exactly you have left over from the first surgery.  I advise seeking out a board-certified specialist with extensive experience in revision rhinoplasty and advanced grafting techniques.  Be upfront in your wishes but make sure whoever you go to is also upfront about realistic expectations and possible complications.  This is critical to a good working relationship.

Best of luck to you!

Dr. E

Lexie Wang, MD · Answer

It is absolutely possible to retore your breathing function but this is a time when you want to be extra careful about who you go to. Make sure you go to someone who specializes in rhinoplasties, particularly revisions, and I would stress the functional aspect since many surgeons focus only on aesthetics.

Is my breathing doomed after aggressive rhinoplasty?

Answers (4)

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