Rhinoplasty is one of the most popular and complex facial plastic surgery procedures. It is also among the most challenging to perform and requires meticulous planning and excellent surgical skills for reproducible good results. Historically, indications for rhinoplasty were cosmetic enhancement, but current indications include aesthetic refinement, nasal airflow improvement, and gender affirmation. Rhinoplasty may be performed by otolaryngologists, facial plastic surgeons, or occasionally by oral-maxillofacial surgeons. The procedure is often done in the ambulatory setting, but it is sometimes done under general anesthesia. It requires a scrub nurse for retraction, a circulating nurse, and a surgical technician or scrub assistant to help with suctioning and tissue removal.

Rhinoplasty: What to Expect from a Nose Job Procedure

An important consideration is the patient’s motivation and expectations for having a rhinoplasty. Although patient satisfaction is high after functional aesthetic rhinoplasty, psychometric data show that subjectively assessed attractiveness does not correlate with the objective degree of nasal deformity [20]. Patients who desire functional cosmetic rhinoplasty frequently appreciate improved quality of life from symptomatic relief even though they accept that their nose will remain imperfect.

The rhinion is the junction point where the nasal bones end in the midline and give way to the dorsal septum. During rhinoplasty, the resuspension of the upper lateral cartilages to the dorsal septum should be carefully maintained or widened as it is critical for postoperative nasal airflow (Figure. 2). Failure to do so is the source of many iatrogenic deformities, including the “inverted-V” or saddle deformity caused by overreduction of a dorsal hump and resultant loss of the anteromedial septal angle.