Reconstructive Rhinoplasty
According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, around 4,000 rhinoplasty procedures are performed in the United Kingdom annually. These procedures may be performed either by a cosmetic surgeon, or an appropriately trained ENT surgeon. While most rhinoplasty procedures are performed for cosmetic reasons, sometimes, they may also be advised for functional purposes. The medical term used to describe nose surgery performed for functional reasons is ‘reconstructive rhinoplasty’. Such surgery is often recommended to correct breathing difficulties, and/or damage incurred through injuries.
Below is a list of some of the common reasons why reconstructive nose surgery may be performed by ENT surgeons:
• Restoration of a broken nose.
• Reconstruction after trauma, solid tumors or skin cancer.
• Removal of scars, moles and other such defects.
• Correction of a deviated septum.
• Repair of blocked nasal passages.
Sometimes the nose may be severely disfigured, due to tissue being removed or lost. In such cases, reconstructive rhinoplasty may involve damaged tissue being replaced with grafts. Generally, tissue replacement involves the restoration of the three layers of the nose:
• The outer skin-soft tissue envelope, which includes skin, subcutaneous tissue and fascia.
• The middle foundation layer, comprising of bone-cartilage framework.
• The inner mucosal lining.
When reconstructive rhinoplasty requires the use of grafts, they are usually extracted from a patient’s own body.
In some cases, such as excessive trauma to the nose, an ENT surgeon may need to perform a combination of procedures to reconstruct the patient’s nose, and make it fully functional. For example, a broken nose may first have to be repaired, and nasal obstructions removed, to allow the patient to breathe normally. Next, any missing tissue nose may have to be reconstructed using various transplantation techniques. This may be followed by a series of cosmetic procedures, to give the nose a natural shape, and remove any post-surgical scars.
Just like with cosmetic rhinoplasty, it is important for patients to have realistic expectations regarding the final outcome of reconstructive nose surgery. Reconstructive rhinoplasty can be a complex procedure and hence the skill level of the cosmetic or ENT surgeon can have a significant bearing on the outcome. Therefore before proceeding with the procedure, it is important that you ensure that the cosmetic or ENT surgeon who will be performing it is appropriately qualified to do so.
ENT London is a premier ENT clinic situated in London, which specialises in reconstructive rhinoplasty, as well as nose surgery for aesthetic purposes. The highly qualified ENT surgeons at ENT London fully comply with the standards of the General Medical Council, and are dedicated to providing superior patient care.
ENT London is one of UK’s leading centres for ear, nose and throat surgery, and can be contacted on 0207 580 6970.
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If your patient would benefit from seeing an ENT Specialist for Ear, Nose and Throat disorders, Rhinoplasty, Nose Surgery, or Head and Neck Surgery and Facial Plastic Surgery you can refer patients by phone and letter
Practice Information
73 Newman Street
London W1A 4PG
UK
Tel: 0207 580 6970
Fax: +44(0)207 580 7166
Email Contact: info@entlondon.co.uk
Practice Opening hours:
9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday