Mr. Z

After my first rhinoplasty which was for reconstructive purposes the tip of my nose was left extremely hard. It is as hard as a bone and doe not move. I think it would break with even the slightest touch with as hard and rigid as it is. Has anyone else experienced this?

My first reconstructive rhinoplasty did not involve cartilage grafts so that is not it. This first operation was a few years ago and I feel as though the doctor has permanently ruined my nose, this being one of many reasons why I feel that way.

(1) Does anyone else out there that has had rhinoplasty suffer from a hardened nose tip?
(2) What would have caused this cartilage in the nasal domes to harden like a rock? Like I said it is as hard as your bones.
(3 Is there anything that can be done to reverse it?

robyne00

Steroids can help in some cases. It works for lymphatic edemas as well as scar tissue.

Mr. Z

I was told steroid injections would weaken the cartilage and probably cause one of my nostrils to collapse more. I also heard that it thins out the skin and this doctor - I don't know what he did - but the result is the skin on my nose's tip being very thin already. During the second operation he used crushed rib cartilage wrapped in fascia over the tip of my nose to try and soften the grafts but the tip was hardened before that operation, after the first surgery.

I'm going to need a very talented surgeon to correct this. Thanks to the original doctor there are now many different problems that would all need to be corrected.

robyne00

As you already know, from your own personal experience, the rib grafts are not the way to go. I was saying steriods harden the nose. Not weaken them, especially for a primary surgery. It is unfortunate that you don't know what the surgeon did, as well as returning to the same surgeon. I might have a recommendation for you, as I know an excellent corrective nose surgeon. Where are you located?

I sincerely wish you all the best!

Mr. Z

Thanks for the wishes/support. I have a good idea what the surgeon did but only he can know the exact way he did things inside. This is what scares me about the revision when the doctor may pull back the skin on my nose and be faced with something unexpected.

It's messed up that doctors like mine are still allowed to do these rib grafts when they are clearly not the way to go. Since surgery I have learned that the rib cartilage can warp several years later. If mine is this bad at around 2 years post-op I don't want to know what it will look like in the future. I'm located in Los Angeles and would like to go with a local doctor. Any input?

robyne00

Now that I know where you are (I asked you in another post), i will do some research for you.

I'll PM you within 24-48 hours.

Mr. Z

Thanks for the PM. About the hardness of my tip though any idea what could have caused this. It is as hard as a rock, no joke. I can't figure out for the life of me what is causing it because it was hard after my first surgery before the rib graft.

robyne00

Hard prior to thr rib graft??? I wonder what the doc did for this to occur. Read my PM when you have a moment.

la_angel

I would obtain a copy of your operative report (if you haven't already) and see if you can find anything suspicious. This doctor sounds like a quake, so see if anything out of the ordinary is on there that might contribute to this. Would you say the entire cartilage is hard or it's just rigid from the internal fixation using sutures?

robyne00

la_angel is right. getting a copy of your pre-op and operative report might help you to understand your situation with a bit more clarity. There is still no excuse for your results. Have you discussed this with the doc?