Crooked Nose -Procedures, Side effects, Recovery time, Costs and alternatives

Crooked Nose Rhinoplasty: The causes of crooked nose are nasal trauma, nose injury, genetic or as a result of primary rhinoplasty (crooked nose after rhinoplasty). People with crooked nose have the nasal septum deviated. Rhinoplasty surgery needs realignment of deviated septum to the midline. For crooked nose correction open rhinoplasty technique is followed. To expose the internal nasal structures such as nasal bone, upper lateral cartilage and cover casual cartilage flap elevation is done. Anintercartilaginous incision is placed over the lower lateral cartilage to reach the septal cartilage. Mucoperichondrium is elevated from the septum and a portion of septal cartilage is taken out sparing superior and anterior portion of septum. Finally osteotomy both medial and lateral is performed to correct the deviated nasal bone followed by placing cartilaginous sutures and closing the incisions with resorbable sutures at the columella. Excess Removal of septum should be avoided to prevent nose deformity further. Maximum care should be taken not to tear or injure the Mucoperichondrium.

Once the portion of septum is removed, Mucoperichondrium is placed back on to the nasal septum and Rhinoplasty works by altering the shape of the cartilage or bone. This surgery is very common and opted by many people. People decide on getting a rhinoplasty done in order to rectify a defect incurred during birth or an injury sustained later in life.It is also done sometimes to better breathing difficulty. Some people who are not very happy with the appearance of their nose also get a nose reshaping surgery done in order to better the look of their nose and face. The alterations that the surgeon will in all probability make on the patient’s nose will be either a modification of the size or angle or nose tip. Other modifications include reducing the gap between the alignment of the bridge of the nose and the nostrils.

There are certain guidelines with respect to age that people need to follow before deciding to go for rhinoplasty. If it is being done to treat breathing difficulties then it can be done at any age.

Before beginning the process of treatment the patient need to sit for an initial round of discussion with the doctor to determine whether the patient should be undergoing rhinoplasty in the first place. The doctor will conduct a thorough examination of the patient’sprevious medical history. The doctor will ask the patient about any present health condition or about any prescription or non-prescription medications that the patient may be taking at the time of treatment.

If patient have haemophilia or are diagnosed with it he/she will be advised against undergoing any surgery because haemophilia is a genetic disorder that inhibits the body to form blood clots and as a result it causes extreme bleeding and easy bruising.

After that, the doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination where he will study the skin of the nose both on the inside and outside. The patient’s nose will also be photographed from all angles to assess his/her case in the future and for reference during the time of the surgery. This helps him/her to decide what modifications are required. The patient will be asked to do certain laboratory tests or blood tests.

Patients will be asked to stop smoking at least 1 month before the surgery as cigarettes slow down the healing process and also narrow the blood vessels and hampers oxygenation. Also, the patient will be asked to not take aspirin and ibuprofen at least two weeks before the scheduled surgery because these drugs slows the blood-clotting process significantly.

Those patients who are eligible for rhinoplasty or nose reshaping should be in a stable state both physically and mentally to undergo surgery.

People whose age are less than 15 years and still undergoing nasal bone development are not eligible. Also, people who suffer from haemophilia or from any other serious health disorder are advised not to go for this surgery

The posiible side effects of the treatment are :

• Difficulty breathing through your nose.
• Permanent numbness in and around your nose.
• The possibility of an uneven-looking nose.
• Pain, discoloration or swelling that may persist.
• Scarring.
• Septal perforation. Moreover some patint may feel discomfort like nausea and headache due to medication. .In case any of these side effects persists or there any other health issues arising during or after treatment, it is advised to kindly consult the health specialist immediately.

The surgeon will insert a metal/plastic stint on the nose immediately after the surgery to maintain the alignment and the patient will be held back in the hospital for a few hours to check for any serious side effects. After rhinoplasty as part of the post-treatment guidelines, the patient will be advised to not take aspirin and ibuprofen for another 2weeks in addition to the 2 weeks before the surgery. The doctor will advise the patient to stay hydrated as much as possible and rest as much as possible. The patient will be advised to use a cold compress to reduce swelling at the site of injury. Activities and exercises that will put a strain on the body should be avoided. Should sleep upright only with head elevated position, Should not sneeze and blow from nose for few days to weeks, Nose packs should be kept for 24 to 48 hours

The recovery time for the patient varies from patient to patient based on his or her health condition. The recovery time from a rhinoplasty or nose reshaping surgery can be about a few weeks to about a few months.

This treatment requires multiple corrections and is done only under general anaesthesia with one day hospital stay. The cost for Rhinoplasty is relatively high compare to hump nose or nostrils correction. In India the cost is between Rs.65000-Rs.70000.

The results of the nose reshaping surgery can have permanent results if performed correctly.

There is no alternative to rhinoplasty.Those who do not wish to undergo surgery can opt for adding fillers by injecting them into the nose.