I just went in for a consultation for a revision rhinoplasty

Question:
I just went in for a consultation for a revision rhinoplasty. My first surgeon did not build up the bridge like he was supposed to, so now I need to get it right. The surgeon who talked to me said that for this surgery, cartilage would be taken from my septum for the surgery. How can septum cartilage be used in a revision rhinoplasty? Isn’t there too little of it?

Answer
In a fresh unoperated nose, there is ample septal cartilage with which to perform rhinoplasty to augment the bridge. In revision rhinoplasty, if the septum has already been operated on you may be correct in wondering if there will be enough cartilage to perform the revision rhinoplasty for the issues you have outlined.

In revision cases I usually counsel my patients that cartilage from their ear may need to be used if the bridge needs to be augmented and for several other reasons. I am not a big fan of the use of synthetic implants in the nose although they are commonly used in rhinoplasty to augment the nasal bridge.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld