ASIAN RHINOPLASTY

Open rhinoplasty can be performed under local anesthesia with oral sedation, or for maximum comfort, under intravenous sedation. It is usually a day surgery procedure. The length of the procedure depends on how much work is done, and it can range from three to six hours. The basic steps are as follows. Incisions are made along the inside of the rim of each nostril and connected in the midline structure known as the columella. The cartilages in the nasal tip are identified and modified to make the tip narrower. Cartilage grafts are harvested from the nasal septum or the ear. The grafts are fashioned into precise shapes and sizes, added to the tip and positioned carefully and secured with fine sutures to create a new tip that is longer, narrower, and more defined.

An implant of suitable dimensions is then placed on the bridge of the nose directly on top of the nasal bones to increase the height of the bridge and create an aesthetically pleasing profile between the beginning of the bridge at its junction with the forehead (the radix) and the area just before the tip (the supratip). If necessary, the sides of the nose are then reduced and narrowed using appropriate techniques. The wounds are accurately and meticulously closed to produce optimal healing and scars. Finally, tapes are applied over the nose to minimize swelling and maintain the implant in the correct position.