Features of postoperative care after rhinoplasty

One of the most important stages of rhinoplasty is the postoperative period, which is so feared by patients who seek help from a plastic surgeon. People ask questions about how they will be able to breathe after surgery, how long the swelling and pain will last when the bandages and stitches are removed, and a host of other similar questions. An important task of every plastic surgeon is to correctly explain to patients that the duration and complexity of the postoperative period directly depends on how patients follow the doctor's recommendations for postoperative care. High-quality postoperative care guarantees minimal discomfort for the patient in the postoperative period after rhinoplasty.

How to reduce swelling in the postoperative period after rhinoplasty

The most important point of postoperative care in the postoperative period of rhinoplasty is the application of special dressings that allow you to stabilize, maintain integrity and protect all surgical changes to the nose. Bandages also help to some extent to prevent swelling of the external nose, as they put pressure on the soft tissues, preventing the accumulation of fluid in them. Also, as a postoperative care to reduce swelling of the nose after rhinoplasty, intravenous administration of up to 8 mg to the patient is recommended. dexamethasone.

Ensuring free breathing in the postoperative period

If manipulations were performed on the cartilaginous part of the nasal septum during rhinoplasty, the patient's breathing in the postoperative period may be difficult. Splinting of the nasal septum with special splints allows for free nasal breathing for the entire postoperative period. Splints are hemmed with a mattress suture in a horizontal direction, since it is in this direction that the blood supply to the nasal septum occurs. Splints are an important point in postoperative care, as their special surfaces prevent the formation of synechia, promote the restoration of the nasal mucosa and greatly facilitate postoperative care of the nasal cavity.

When nasal packing is performed for postoperative care

If complications such as mucosal tears or bleeding after septal surgery have been observed during rhinoplasty or in the early postoperative period, the patient should undergo nasal packing to control bleeding and prevent internal hematomas. Swabs are removed from the nasal cavity no later than one day after the postoperative period. Tamponade should not be tight, since tight packing provokes ischemia of the nasal mucosa with subsequent formation of perforations of the nasal septum. After tamponade, a gauze bandage is applied to the patient's nasal passages, which is strengthened with a plaster. In uncomplicated rhinoplasty, such postoperative care as nasal tamponade is not necessary.

Suture care in the postoperative period after rhinoplasty

Sanitation of the nasal passages is another important point of postoperative care after rhinoplasty, it must be started from the second day of the postoperative period. All sutures are treated with an ointment containing an antibiotic for 3-5 days. The sutures are removed from the skin of the columella on the 5th day, from the bases of the wings of the nose – on the 5-6th day. Depending on the complexity of rhinoplasty, splints and a fixing bandage are removed from the nose after one to two weeks of the postoperative period. Within a month after rhinoplasty, the patient is recommended to apply special strips at night, which will help prevent the characteristic morning swelling of the nose after rhinoplasty.

When are check-ups after rhinoplasty

In the postoperative period, the plastic surgeon must warn the patient about the need for follow-up visits to examine the condition of the nose after rhinoplasty. Such inspections are carried out within the following periods:

• 1 month postoperative period – swelling and tightness of the nose persists;
• 3 month postoperative period – edema is significantly reduced in the area of ​​​​the bony part of the back of the nose, the sensitivity of the tip of the nose is restored;
• 6 month postoperative period – edema of the cartilaginous part of the back of the nose subsides, it becomes possible to identify possible defects in rhinoplasty, such as uneven contours of the nose or asymmetry;
• 12 month postoperative period – swelling of the nose completely disappears, you can finally judge the results of rhinoplasty.