Septoplasty
A common medical condition patients undergo rhinoplasty for is a deviated nasal septum. The surgical procedure used to correct a deviated septum is called septoplasty. When rhinoplasty is performed together with this type of plastic surgery, the medical procedure is known as septorhinoplasty.
During the septoplasty procedure, the surgeon will lift the skin covering the patient’s nose to reveal the internal anatomical structures. To fix the deviated septum, the surgeon will then move, reshape, or remove the cartilage and tissue of the septum.
Cleft Palate or Cleft Lip
Certain physiological and anatomical abnormalities can occur during development in the womb. When the tissue in the roof of the mouth fails to properly fuse together, it can cause a split in the roof of the mouth. This birth defect is known as a cleft palate.
When the split extends into the skin of the upper lip, this is known as a cleft lip. Depending on the severity, this medical condition can cause changes in the shape of the nose.
Cleft rhinoplasty is more complex than a typical nose job and involves more steps. For example, includes several medically related reasons for undergoing the procedure, including the following:
- Reshaping the tip of the nose as it may be quite wide, uneven, or poorly defined.
- Increasing the projection of the tip of the nose.
- Changing the size, length, and/or shape of the nose as well as the nostrils.
- Straightening a crooked nose and removing bumps or dips in the bridge.
- Address difficulties breathing through the nose.
Inflammation of Internal Structures
The nose contains structures called nasal turbinates, or conchae. Turbinates are narrow passages in that nose that moisten and warm the air that passes through the airways of the nose. When these structures become inflamed, the swelling can obstruct the airways causing breathing problems. This condition – also known as turbinate hypertrophy – is a common cause of breathing difficulties and can be treated through rhinoplasty surgery.
Turbinates can become enlarged for several reasons. One reason is allergies. Patients that suffer from nose allergies can undergo a nose job to alleviate symptoms by treating common co-occuring conditions, like enlarged turbinates, polyps, and/or a deviated septum.
Chronic sinusitis can also cause swelling and inflammation. Rhinoplasty surgery can be used to treat sinus problems by widening the internal passages to increase airflow, remove scar tissue obstructing the airways of the nose, and treat other conditions related to sinusitis, like polyps and enlarged turbinates.
Many patients who get a nose job do so to remove noncancerous growths occurring in the tissue lining the airway of their noses, called polyps. While these growths are soft and painless, they can obstruct the airways causing breathing difficulties. Functional rhinoplasty can be used to treat polyps, which will also help alleviate symptoms associated with allergies and sinus problems.
Injury or Trauma to the Nose
Noses are often a common point of injury for many people. As such, a common reason for undergoing a nose job or revision rhinoplasty is to repair fractures of the nose. For the individuals, the overall goal of the procedure is for the surgeon to restore the patient’s nose to its appearance before the injury.
Nasal Valve Collapse
Plastic surgery procedures are also used to address airway obstructions caused by nasal valve collapse, or stenosis. When the narrow portion of the patient’s airway becomes to weak, it can collapse. This can occur on one or both sides of the nose. The affected individual may be unable to take in sufficient amounts of air. Rhinoplasty surgery is often medically necessary for patients suffering from this health condition.