It is one of the most common aesthetic operations. An average of 30,000 rhinoplasties are performed each year, the majority (70%) performed by otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeon. However, the proliferation of ‘low-cost’ rhinoplasty offers that do not even cover the minimum costs of an operation where the patient’s safety and health are guaranteed is increasingly common. The problem? That around half of those patients must undergo another operation.
This has been indicated by the specialists gathered at the 74th National Congress of the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SEORL-CCC), which is being held until October 8 in Madrid, and who claim the importance of the patient candidate for nose surgery be evaluated by an appropriate specialist, since in recent years reinterventions have increased considerably as “the functional aspects are not taken into account in these surgeries and the focus is only on aesthetics,” they point out.
The reasons why patients request this surgery are a mix between aesthetics and function. “We meet men and women with problems breathing through the nose who request reintervention after having gone to ‘low-cost’ clinics where they have only considered aesthetics when performing rhinoplasty. However, we must not forget that these operations must preserve or improve the functionality of the nose,” says Eduardo Morera, president of the Facial Plastic Surgery commission of the SEORL-CCC.
And he insists that otorhinolaryngology is the only specialty that comprehensively addresses the nose and includes rhinoplasty in its dual functional and aesthetic aspects in its national training plans. For this reason, the Facial Plastic Surgery commission of the SEORL-CCC warns of the importance of interested people seeking an ENT to obtain the result. According to recent studies, revision rates after primary rhinoplasty are between 5% and 15%, with nasal obstruction being one of the most frequent causes of reintervention.
“When someone offers us an operation with a striking discount, it is always at the cost of skimping on basic elements that an operation requires with a minimum of guarantees for the patient,” says Morera.
What must be considered? The aesthetic and functional elements cannot be separated and there are patients who decide to have a rhinoplasty, but do not know if they have functional problems with the nose. “If the functional part is not adequately treated, the patient may experience symptoms that will worsen their quality of life, such as not breathing well, making normal physical activity and night rest difficult,” explains Dr. Morera.
For this reason, the patient must undergo an examination by the otorhinolaryngologist to check if there is any type of nasal breathing problem such as a deviated nasal septum, chronic rhinitis or sinusitis. The otorhinolaryngologist is the only specialist qualified to treat all functional problems of the nose as well as perform aesthetic correction if the patient requests it.
The final shape of the nose must be agreed upon with the patient before the intervention. Facial features, ethnicity or personal aesthetics must be taken into account, without ever leaving aside nasal functionality. The objective of rhinoplasty is to obtain a harmonious and natural nose, which allows you to carry out the activities of daily life and is stable in the long term. A good rhinoplasty is one that lasts a lifetime.
