Can too much cartilage removal from a nose during rhinoplasty cause the patient to have difficulty breathing? (Photos)

Yes, having had too much cartilage removed during your primary rhinoplasty can absolutely cause breathing problems down the road, for a number of different reasons.    When someone performs what we call "reductive rhinoplasty," and they are removing cartilage, they are essentially making the structure of the nose weaker.  So over time, the nose will start to collapse and have structural and functional issues, including but not limited too difficulty breathing.  Be sure to consult a board certified plastic surgeon who has immense experience in revision rhinoplasty.  

Hi Pegah,Unfortunately, over aggressive resection of the nasal cartilages can disrupt the structural support and function of the nasal valves and result in post-surgical nasal obstruction. Additional causes can be a residual septal deviation and sometimes big turbinates (unrelated to surgery). The best way to figure out what is going on is for you to visit with a rhinoplasty expert for a full exam.Best,

Yes. Too much cartilage removal will, sooner or later, cause breathing problems and and deformed appearance. 

Thank you for your question, Pegah. Your are correct in inferring that excessive resection of nasal cartilages can result in airway issues, making it hard to breathe. The cartilages provide a supportive framework that help keep your nasal airway open. Equally, features of your internal nasal anatomy may also contribute to difficulty with breathing, such as enlarged turbinates. Additional photographs with multiple views of your nose would be helpful. An assessment with a board-certified Plastic Surgeon with experience in revision rhinoplasty will help you gain better understanding of your nose structure and available options to help improve your breathing.  

Hi  Thank you for your question. In short  over resection of the structural cartilages in the nose  can result in  valve collapse  particularly when breathing in.  If this is  a functional problem it may be corrected-  have a good discussion with a Rhinoplasty expert to assess any functional problems and the structural problems. Al the very best

There are some common nasal breathing problems associated with remove of nasal cartilage and/or bone after rhinoplasty, but there are other causes inside the nasal airway that may also be involved. I would consult with an experienced revision rhinoplasty specialist and ask about your nasal valves, septum and turbinates to see if there are identifiable causes for your difficult in breathing. From your photo, you may in fact have an internal nasal valve collapse but an examination to determine the reason for your obstruction is better than a photo to assess your particular case. Best wishes. 

Hi
   Thanks for writing in. The short answer is YES. Cartilage removal during rhinoplasty and over resection of cartilage and bone are the main cause of post surgical nasal obstruction. It is hard to say from your pictures but it looks like you have been over resected. This can be fixed with revision rhinoplasty. You may also find relief with a simple in office procedure called a nasal valve reconstruction. Come in for a consult and evaluation. Good Luck

DrC