A rhinoplasty or 'nose job' is done to correct the external appearance of the nose. It can also be done in conjunction with an operation performed to relieve nasal obstruction.

The operation is performed through incisions inside the nose, thereby leaving no external evidence of the surgery. Occasionally, the flare of the nostrils may have to be modified using a small cut in the fold of the nostrils, leaving behind a scar in the fold that is not visible even to the trained eye. The operation takes about 1 hour or a little more to perform. The patient would generally have a nasal pack that is left in for 48 hours, and a plaster on the nose for 5 to 7 days.

I prefer General Anaesthesia as I believe that it keeps the patients more comfortable and also helps the anaesthesiologist to have complete control and monitoring of all parameters like pulse, blood pressure, ECG, etc.

Generally 48 hours, but the patient may choose to go home earlier if adequate home care is assured.

These would only arise if the patient does not have a clear idea of the changes that he or she desires . Also, re-do surgery is technically more difficult and hence there is a greater chance of a lesser than optimal result from these.

After the pack is removed, the patient is given nasal drops to put, and is discharged on antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. The patient follows up once more over the next 2 or 3 days before the plaster is removed. The patient must avoid direct injury to the nose for at least 4 weeks after surgery.

When the plaster is removed, the patient may be surprised to see a fair amount of swelling and bruising around the nose. This is usual in most cases and should not alarm the patient. The swelling subsides over the next week or so, but the final result of surgery may not be apparent until 3 to 6 months after surgery.

Most patients end up wishing they had had the surgery earlier! The pain and discomfort associated with the operation is soon forgotten as the results become more and more evident.