Recovery for open and closed rhinoplasty procedures…

Question:
Are there any differences in the recovery between open and closed rhinoplasty procedures?

Answer:
There is a great deal of debate surrounding the issue of closed versus open rhinoplasty. I use both the closed and open rhinoplasty approaches and choose the approach based on how I feel I will get the best result for my patients. I will say that I tend to use the open rhinoplasty approach in more complicated noses such as, revision rhinoplasty, twisted noses, noses that require a great deal of tip work, and in noses that have external issues that affect the airway. Closed rhinoplasty is used more frequently in patients who need moderate tip work or large nasal bridge humps. By virtue of the fact that I use the open rhinoplasty procedures in more complicated cases, the recovery is usually a bit longer (measured in days), not because of the approach but, because of the amount of work that was required to perform the rhinoplasty. Otherwise, the only other differences between open versus closed rhinoplasty that I can think of is the small surgical incision that needs to be made underneath the tip of the nose in open rhinoplasty, and the resultant yet temporary tip numbness that can result from this open rhinoplasty incision.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld