Revision Surgery

Loss of Nasal Balance

The most complicated of the problems encountered after surgery, the loss of balance with the remainder of the face or even imbalance among the components of the nose can make the nose appear strange and “operated on.” Maintaining nasal balance during rhinoplasty (nose surgery) is the true art of plastic surgery. It’s also important to maintain ethnic identity though there are powerful cultural forces which can lead ethnic minorities to wish to have a more Caucasian nose. Correction of nasal balance involves adding and removing structures to the nose in carefully planned patterns. Added structures might include cartilage from the inside of the nose, ear or rib. If needed, bone can be added from the hip, ribs, or skull. We have state of the art software programs to demonstrate to you the desired corrections after the revision nose surgery, but it’s important to keep in mind that the computer programs do not exactly mirror the unpredictable nature of nature and the limitations we face as surgeons in working with tissue scarred from prior surgery.