Do tip done sutures last a life time? (Rhinoplasty)

Question

I had my tip refined by what I believe was sutures to the domes of the nose. Do these last a life time?

Kevin M. Robertson, MD, FACS · Answer

Some doctors use slowly dissolving stitches, while other doctors use permanent stitches to sculpt the tip.  My educated guess is that it's about 60/40 dissolving/permanent.  So if you really want to know, you have to specifically ask your surgeon.The trend in rhinoplasty right now is to leave as much cartilage intact as possible, and reshape it with stitches.  If permanent stitches are chosen, the assumption is they hold the new cartilage shape and don't cause additional future problems like stitch infection.  If dissolving stitches are utilized, they reshape the cartilage long enough to ensure the new shape, and then fade off into the distance so they don't cause long term foreign body reactions.  I think it just comes down to surgeon preference, I have never seen any data comparing the two materials on a basis of result or complication.

David A. Sieber, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for the great question! The short answer is yes and the long answer is that it's more complicated. During a rhinoplasty some of the cartilage in the nose is taken apart, refined, then put back together as was done in your tip. To hold the cartilage back in place, sutures are put through the two pieces of cartilage. What happens over the next weeks to months is that scar forms in-between the pieces of cartilage and works like glue to hold everything in place. So in that regard, yes the tip sutures will last. However, over time (1-5 years) the skin over the nose continues to contract and may distort some of the cartilage a little bit or make any changes in the tip seem more noticeable. Rhinoplasties are very complicated surgeries with a lot of moving parts. Rest assured, if you like your nose now, it shouldn't be going anywhere!~Dr. Sieber

Robert E. Zaworski, MD (retired) · Answer

This depends on the type of sutures used.   Some will dissolve overtime when healed.  Rhinoplasty is a permanent surgery and should last a lifetime.  Most people only have one Rhinoplasty.  Occasionally, a revision is needed depending on how the patient heals.

Do tip done sutures last a life time? (Rhinoplasty)

Answers (3)

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