Problems After Revision Rhinoplasty with Ear Cartilage Graft - Europe
Hello everybody.Some years ago I had a...
Hello everybody.Some years ago I had a rhinoplasty,but this rhinoplasty left me with an over-resected and crooked nose and a pinched tip.It took some years before I decided to have a revision rhinoplasty,because I was so afraid of the results.Finally I found a doctor and had the revision 8 months ago.This doctor used ear cartilage graft to fix my nose. Well,now,8 months after ,the tip of the nose looks better (it is not pinched anymore),but the nose has this deviation as before(the nose is crooked as before,although the doctor placed cartilage grafts on the sides of the nose). But,there are some issues that bother me. For the first,I have twinges and slight pain where the grafts were placed.I wonder when all these problems will go away? My doctor says that this is normal !!! ?? And second,my ear is very soft,it hurts a little bit and the scar on the front side of the ear is VERY visible and I have to cover it with my hair all the time.I am so afraid that my ear will collapse after years as I age and the cartilages become weaker. I would like to hear experiences from other people who had a revision rhinoplasty with ear cartilage graft and if you had the same problems.
Replies (6)
Hi there!
I had this procedure done about 10 years ago. My ear healed beautifully. I don't remember the pain you mention, but I am left with a slight divot in the back of my ear (which cannot be seen because of the way the ear folds, so it doesn't bother me). I only had cartilage placed in one side of my nose and yes, my nose is still crooked!! And now the other side has collapsed. I wish I'd had cartilage placed in both sides.
I don't know if this helps you at all. Overall, I'm happy I had this done, but wish we'd been a little more aggressive back then.
(I also sent you a private message).
My surgeon says that this scar heals very well in all the patients.So I don't understand why I still have this very visible scar after 8 months (and it will be 9 months next week).
And I don't like the twinges and the pain,I am really worried.The one cartilage graft is very pointy inside my nostril and it hurts.
And,as I mentioned before,the only thing that the revision rhinoplasty improved was the tip.The nose is still crooked.
But I have read that the nose shrinks over time, so maybe in the future the tip can become as pinched as before,who knows.
I don't really know if the revision rhinoplasty was worth it.But after this bad nose job I had some years ago,I had to do something to fix my nose.
But it seems that the nose is beyond repair.And I really don't have the money to undergo another revision.And of course I am VERY afraid that my nose will collapse with a 3.surgery.
I just wish that my first rhinoplasty was successful.. but it wasn't .. now it is too late...
I am very depressed of this situation.I can't even...
2 rhinoplasties : A total waste of money and an emotional devastation.
I had not these troubles after my first rhinoplasty (no pain etc) but the cosmetic outcome was very ugly.I tried to fix that with my revision .But it was not worth it.
Now I have so much pain that I have to remove the cartilage graft that was placed in my nose during the revision rhinoplasty.The nose is still crooked and as the time goes,the outcome becomes more and more ugly.Not to mention that I have problems in my ear from which the cartilage graft was taken(visible scar, pain etc).I need additional surgery to fix my ear, my ears are so uneven now (I think the surgeon removed too much cartilage from the ear).....I am devastated....
Replies (6)
I'm so sorry this has been hard for you! I truly hoped that by mid-march you'd be happier with your results. If you look into another revision, make sure you go with a doctor who specializes in revision rhinoplasty! This is a very intricate procedure and you want to make sure you have someone who knows what they're doing. Keep us posted. Virtual hugs!
The doctor who performed the revision specializes in revision rhinoplasty and I saw many photos of what difficult revisions he had performed previously.But, obviously , I am the unlucky one.
I have complained to him for a long time about all these issues, but he said that I had to wait and that all these issues would resolve over time.But now I can't stand it anymore and he is finally willing to remove the one graft (although I have to wait a little bit).He said that it can be removed under local anesthesia and that I don't need another revision.He also said that he will use laser treatment in order to remove the scar in my ear.Howerer,he is unwilling to do something else regarding the ear,although the ears ARE uneven (the conchal bowl of the ear from which the cartilage was taken is much less deeper than the conchal bowl of the other ear and it is quite noticable).So I think that a have to find another doctor to fix the issues regarding my ear.And no, I will not seek another revision.I will be happy when I finally remove the graft and become painfree , and when I have fixed the ear.
Sometimes I wish that I just had left it alone after my 1.surgery.I had indeed a very crooked nose after my 1.surgery, but I didn't have issues like pain etc..Now after the revision I have the same crooked nose , plus pain and a damaged ear that needs to be fixed.I just wanted improvement and hoped that the revision would give me that, but I got many more problems after that.
thanks for posting.I know exactly how you feel.Because I feel the same .
I am getting more and more depressed because of that.All the doctors I consulted before I had the revision told me that my ear would look the same afterwards and that the scar would disappear after a while.But now, 9 months after, the scar at the FRONT part of my ear is very visible and off course the ears are uneven,as I said.I asked the doctors here on realself about ear reconstruction and I also contacted a plastic surgeon who does ear reconstruction.According to him no septal cartilage could be used due to the 2 rhinoplasties I have had, to take rib cartilage is a little bit risky , so the only option was to reduce the other conchal bowl (with the incision at the BACK of the ear so that there is NO VISIBLE SCAR again )and to add a little graft to the ear from which the cartilage was taken.
About the one graft that I had placed in my nose: My surgeon will remove it because I have pain.He will also use laser treatment to fade the scar (I hope it will help, I really don't know).
But the surgeon who performed the revision thinks I am crazy when I am saying that the ears are uneven and that I want that to be fixed.But I am not crazy.It is VERY noticeable and I have to cover it with my hair all the time .
I wish that I never had the revision .The nose is still crooked, I have pain and a damaged ear.
After my first rhinoplasty I just had a crooked nose, but NO pain and NOT a damaged ear.
I am so depressed.
I have uploaded some photos (maybe I will remove...
First picture :the ear from which the graft was harvested.You can see the scar (which is much more visible in reality and in the daylight) and a somehow flattened conchal bowl.
Second picture:the other ear .Note the much deeper conchal bowl.
Third picture: my nose after revision.You can see many asymmetries and that it is crooked.
Hi Marilu -- Thanks for sharing your story. I hope your surgery turns out well. Here are a few other community members who have had cartilage grafts. Most of theirs turned out okay once it fully healed. Hope this helps!