| Q: |
What is rhinoplasty? |
| A: |
Rhinoplasty
is an operation designed to reshape the bones and cartilages of the
nose in order to improve nasal breathing and / or appearance.
Frequently, the operation involves straightening of the nasal septum
(the partition between the right and left nasal passages) in order to
improve breathing. In these cases, the procedure is known as
septorhinoplasty.
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| Q: |
Who performs septorhinoplasty? |
| A: |
Septorhinoplasty
can be performed by any qualified facial plastic surgeon (either
general plastic surgery or otolaryngology / facial plastic surgery).
Unfortunately, rhinoplasty is probably performed more poorly than any
other plastic procedure. It requires a degree of expertise and
experience that is typically found only in surgeons who make this the
focus of their surgical careers. Surgeons who perform only occasional
rhinoplasties tend to have less desirable and less predictable results.
Unfortunately, once cartilage has been altered or removed, subsequent
correction (revision rhinoplasty) can be quite difficult. At the
Toronto Rhinoplasty Clinic, we have devoted ourselves to perfecting the
art of rhinoplasty.
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| Q: |
3. Do I need to worry about anything other than the way my nose looks? |
| A: |
Yes.
Many surgeons try to sell their patients on the benefits of enhancing
their nasal appearance. The nose, however, is a physiologically
important component of the upper respiratory tract. In addition to
providing an unobstructed conduit for the passage of oxygen, the nose
both humidifies air and filters its particles and pollutants. At the
Toronto Rhinoplasty Clinic, we believe that any surgeon offering
septorhinoplasty should be skilled in preserving nasal function (in
addition to improving nasal appearance). Unfortunately, this is usually
not the case.
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| Q: |
How is rhinoplasty performed? |
| A: |
Most
of the Toronto Rhinoplasty Clinic’s patients undergo endonasal
procedures meaning that no cuts are made on the nasal skin and there
are no scars. Occasionally, an external approach is required. This
involves as small zig-zag cut on the skin between the nostrils at the
base of the nose. This leaves a nearly invisible scar. Cuts are made in
the nasal bones and cartilages to give the desired cosmetic appearance.
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| Q: |
What type of anesthetic is used? |
| A: |
Most
of the Toronto Rhinoplasty Clinic’s patients have their procedure
performed under a light general anesthetic. The case is performed as
day-surgery, meaning that you arrive and go home on the same day as
your operation.
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| Q: |
Why is it important for my surgeon to have expertise and long-term experience in rhinoplasty? |
| A: |
In
general, one wants their surgeon to be experienced in any procedure
that they are providing. This is particularly true, however, in
rhinoplasty. As you age, your nose changes with time. Most children
have tiny, turned-up noses and most seniors have ptotic (down-turned)
nasal tips. This occurs because the nasal cartilage loses strength and
elasticity with age. Some surgeons utilize aggressive
cartilage-removing procedures to get quick, dramatic results. These
"quick fixes" can lead to problems down the road when weakened
cartilages can no longer support the nasal tip and airway collapse
results in severe nasal obstruction. At the Toronto Rhinoplasty Clinic,
we are experts in nasal airway physiology and will not compromise
long-term results for short-term gain.
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| Q: |
How long will it take me to recover from rhinoplasty? |
| A: |
Most
patients have gauze packing in their noses for one to two days
following surgery. Packing serves to minimize bleeding and also acts to
hold structures in place during the initial healing period. Many
patients will also have silastic (surgical grade plastic) stents placed
in the nose. These act like an internal cast and are removed eight to
ten days postoperatively. The nose is quite stuffy for two weeks after
surgery, until most of the internal swelling has subsided. Nasal
discomfort is usually mild to moderate and is present for two to three
days. Strong pain-killers are prescribed for all patients. Externally,
patients wear a cast for eight to ten days. Nasal swelling and bruising
around the eyes are present for up to two weeks. While some patients
will return to school or work within three to four days, the majority
of patients take two weeks to recover. At that point, most friends and
colleagues will not even recognize that a surgical procedure has been
performed.
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| Q: |
Where will the surgery be performed? |
| A: |
Most
surgery is performed at William Osler Health Centre in Etobicoke. This
is a full-service, state of the art, acute care hospital which provides
the utmost safety for surgical procedures. Since most rhinoplasties are
partly covered by government insurance for the airway component, it is
also less expensive for the patient to have their procedure performed
in a general hospital. If the procedure is strictly cosmetic or, if the
patient desires, surgery can be performed in a private operating room.
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| Q: |
How do you ensure confidentiality? |
| A: |
All
medical records are strictly confidential and are treated with the
utmost respect. The Toronto Rhinoplasty Clinic feels strongly that the
records of our rhinoplasty patients be treated with the same respect
and discretion as those of patients with serious illness. Accordingly,
your pre / post photos will NEVER be shown to another patient and will
NEVER be used for advertising or on this website.
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| Q: |
How much does rhinoplasty cost? |
| A: |
In
most cases, primary rhinoplasty (that is, first time surgery) costs
$4799.00. If you have had failed surgery by another surgeon, the price
is $5699.00 as these cases usually demand significantly more time and
have less predictable outcomes. We accept all forms of payment and
financing is available. Provincial insurance pays for part of the
procedure where obstruction of the nasal airway passages exists. All
cosmetic charges are subject to GST.
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| Q: |
Are there any risks? |
| A: |
There
is no such thing as a risk-free operation anywhere on the body. For
that matter, even driving to the hospital carries with it some degree
of risk. Fortunately, the risks of rhinoplasty are quite low as this
operation is typically performed electively on young and healthy
individuals. The most important risk of rhinoplasty is that you may be
unhappy with the cosmetic outcome (usually related to problems
experienced during the healing process). You can rest assured, however,
with the knowledge that our surgeons' expertise and experience minimize
these risks. Our surgeons' devotion to their patients and their
specialty is second to none.
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| Q: |
What are grafts and how are they used? |
| A: |
Grafts
are strips of cartilage, bone or foreign material (e.g. Gortex) that
are placed in order to help recontour the nose or aid in supporting the
nasal skeleton. Cartilage (the most commonly used material) is usually
harvested from within the nose as part of the already planned operation
and no additional cuts are necessary. It is occasionally necessary,
however, to look elsewhere for more cartilage (typically, in revision
surgery). In these cases, cartilage can be taken from the ear through
an incision made on the back side (this does not disfigure or scar the
ear). At the Toronto Rhinoplasty Clinic, we do not favour the use of
foreign materials as these have a propensity for infection and
extrusion.
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| Q: |
How long will it take for me to see the results? |
| A: |
Patients
will see 80% of the final result two weeks after surgery. More subtle
changes, such as those to the nasal tip, however, can take up to a year
to be fully evident. In patients with very thick skin, nasal refinement
can occur even more slowly. Also remember that the nose is a dynamic
organ which changes throughout your entire life. The changes incurred
in rhinoplasty surgery will affect the appearance of your nose at every
stage of life.
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