The success and safety of your nose surgery depends very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. You’ll be asked a number of questions about your health, desires and lifestyle.

Be prepared to discuss:

• Why you want the surgery, your expectations and desired outcome
• Medical conditions, drug allergies and previous medical treatments
• Use of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs
• Previous surgeries

A/Prof Coombs will also:

• Evaluate your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors
• Examine and measure your face
• Take photographs for your medical record
• Discuss your options and recommend a course of reshaping your nose
• Discuss likely outcomes of a nose surgery and any risks or potential complications
• Discuss the type of anaesthesia that will be used

Prior to surgery, you may be asked to:

• Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
• Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
• Stop smoking well in advance of surgery
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they can increase bleeding

Special instructions you receive will cover:

• What to do on the night before and the morning of surgery
• The use of anaesthesia during your nose surgery

Post-operative care and follow-up

• A/Prof Coombs will also discuss where your procedure will be performed.

The decision to have nose surgery is extremely personal and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will fulfil your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.

A/Prof Coombs will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks or potential complications.

The risks include:

• Rupture of small surface vessels of the nose
• Infection
• Poor wound healing
• Anaesthesia risks
• Bleeding (hematoma)
• Nose asymmetry
• Cardiac and pulmonary complications can occur in longer surgical procedures and may be associated with the formation of, or increase in, blood clots in the venous system
• Change in skin sensation (numbness)
• Nasal airway alterations may occur after a rhinoplasty or septoplasty that may interfere with normal passage of air through the nose
• Nasal septal perforation (a hole in the nasal septum) may develop but is rare; additional surgical treatment may be necessary to repair the nasal septum but in some cases, it may be impossible to correct this complication
• Pain, which may persist
• Unfavourable scarring
• Skin contour irregularities
• Skin discoloration and swelling
• Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal
• Possibility of revisional surgery

Be sure to ask questions: It’s very important to ask A/Prof Coombs questions about your nose procedure. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, whether it’s excitement for your anticipated new look or a bit of preoperative stress. Don’t be shy about discussing these feelings with A/Prof Coombs.

If you experience shortness of breath, chest pains, or unusual heart beats, seek medical attention immediately. Should any of these complications occur, you may require hospitalization and additional treatment.

Be careful

Following A/Prof Coombs’ instructions is key to the success of your surgery. It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, abrasion, or motion during the time of healing. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself.

My recovery

After your procedure is completed, a splint, internal tubes or packing will likely be placed inside your nose and a splint or bandages placed on the outside to support and protect the new structures during initial healing.

You will be given specific instructions that may include: How to care for the surgical site, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health, and when to follow up with A/Prof Coombs.

Be sure to ask A/Prof Coombs specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period.

• Where will I be taken after my surgery is complete?
• What medication will I be given or prescribed after surgery?
• Will I have dressings/bandages after surgery?
• When will they be removed?
• Are stitches removed? When?
• When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
• When do I return for follow-up care?

The results will be long-lasting

It may take several months for swelling to fully dissipate and up to a year – and sometimes longer – for the outcome of the surgery to fully refine.

Although the results of nose surgery are usually permanent, cartilage may continue to reshape and move tissue that may change the outcome over time.

Cost is always a consideration in elective surgery. Prices for nose surgeries can vary widely. A surgeon’s cost may vary based on his or her experience as well as geographic office location.

Cost may include:

• Surgeon’s fee
• Hospital or surgical facility costs
• Anaesthesia fees
• Prescriptions for medication
• Medical tests

When nose surgery is performed to improve breathing function, this procedure is considered reconstructive and may be covered by insurance. This requires a detailed examination to verify the cause of your breathing impairment and prior authorization from your insurer.

Your satisfaction involves more than a fee When choosing a plastic surgeon for nose surgery, remember that the surgeon’s experience and your comfort with him or her are just as important as the final cost of the surgery.

Use this checklist as a guide during your consultation

• Are you a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons?
• Were you specifically trained in the field of plastic surgery?
• How many years of plastic surgery training have you had?
• Do you have hospital privileges to perform this procedure?
• If so, at which hospitals?
• Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
• What will be expected of me to get the best results?
• Where and how will you perform my procedure?
• What surgical technique is recommended for me?
• How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?
• What are the risks and complications associated with my procedure?
• How are complications handled?
• How can I expect my nose to look over time?
• What are my options if I am dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of my nose surgery?
• Do you have before-and-after photos I can look at for this procedure and what results are reasonable for me?

(This information is courtesy of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons)

Step 1 – Anaesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The procedure will be under a general anaesthestic.

Step 2 – The incision

Surgery of the nose is performed either using a closed procedure, where incisions are hidden inside the nose, or an open procedure, where an incision is made across the columella, the narrow strip of tissue that separates the nostrils. Through these incisions, the soft tissues that cover the nose are gently raised, allowing access to reshape the structure of the nose.

Step 3 – Reshaping the nose structure

Surgery of the nose can reduce or augment nasal structures with the use of cartilage grafted from other areas of your body.

Most commonly, pieces of cartilage from the septum, the partition in the middle of the nose, is used for this purpose.

Occasionally a piece of cartilage from the ear and rarely a section of rib cartilage can be used.

Step 4 – Correcting a deviated septum

If the septum is deviated, it is now straightened and the projections inside the nose are reduced to improve breathing.

Step 5 – Closing the incision

Once the underlying structure of the nose is sculpted to the desired shape, nasal skin and tissue is re-draped and incisions are closed. Additional incisions may be placed in the natural creases of the nostrils to alter their size.

Step 6 – See the results

Splints and internal tubes will likely support the nose as it begins to heal for approximately one week.

While initial swelling subsides within a few weeks, it may take up to a year for your new nasal contour to fully refine.

During this time you may notice gradual changes in the appearance of your nose as it refines to a more permanent outcome. Swelling may come and go and worsen in the morning during the first year following your nose surgery.

Nose surgery to improve an obstructed airway requires careful evaluation of the nasal structure as it relates to airflow and breathing. Correction of a deviated septum, one of the most common causes of breathing impairment, is achieved by adjusting the nasal structure to produce better alignment.