Rhinoplasty Gallery Plastic Surgery in Austin | Patient 09

Patient Details

This young woman had a history of trauma to her nose when she was a child that resulted in complete obstruction of her nasal breathing. She has the ability only to breathe through her mouth which was bothersome particularly when she was engaged in sports. On her pre-operative photographs you can see that her nose is very deviated to her right. Internal exam revealed severe deviation of her nasal septum (internal portion of the nose in the midline that divides it into two halves) as well as turbinate enlargement on both sides (air conditioning units in the nose that can become enlarged and obstructing). She also has a small dorsal hump.

The primary goal of rhinoplasty surgery is to correct her breathing. The secondary goal is to straighten out her nose as best possible and reduce a small dorsal hump. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to straighten out a crooked nose. Perfection is not possible, though oftentimes a very big improvement can be achieved. I performed a complex rhinoplasty with correction of her septal deviation. Seen below at four months after her procedure, her nose is certainly straighter and better proportioned. More importantly, she is able to breathe through her nose for the first time since early childhood!

The “after” photos in the third and fourth sets above were taken about one year after her rhinoplasty. Both internal and external work was performed. It’s hard to believe, but it actually takes about three years for all the swelling to resolve. Her internal exam shows a straight septum and smaller turbinates and unobstructed breathing passages.