POST-OPERATIVE NASAL IRREGULARITIES

In rare instances, an irregularity will develop under the skin following a very successful rhinoplasty.  It usually becomes apparent days or weeks after the procedure as the swelling subsides. In some instances, it is bony in nature and may present as a spicule of bone, resulting from the irritated periosteum (lining over the bridge) or a larger area of bone, if there is a shifting or displacement of the reconstructed bony bridge. The treatment for this may be a simple procedure under local anesthesia in a treatment room or a more involved procedure in an operating room.  For a small spicule of bone, the area can be anesthetized locally and a tiny incision made in the club of the eyebrow. Through this incision a narrow chisel can be used to reduce the bony prominence…usually with one or two taps of the mallet. Unfortunately, if the bony irregularity is much larger in nature, a return to the operating room is usually necessary. In this case, rasping or even chiseling is needed and usually takes only a few minutes to accomplish.

If the irregularity noted under the skin is cartilaginous in nature from shifting of a graft or repositioning of the cartilaginous dorsum, an initial attempt at correction can be via a transcutaneous needle. In this case, the area is anesthetized and a small gauge needle is placed through the skin to fracture and progressively crush the cartilage. But, as with the larger bony deformity, if the cartilaginous deformity is large or unaffected by the transcutaneous approach, an intra-operative approach to trim it would be required.