RECONSTRUCTIVE NOSE SURGERY

Nasal reconstructive surgery is a specialty of facial plastic surgery, which repairs nasal deformities due to trauma, disease, or accident.

Those individuals who have suffered facial deformities desperately desire to return to normal function and appearance. For these patients reconstructive nose surgery is an alternative.

The nose is the most prominent feature on a face. Due to its foremost position, the nose is exposed to injury in car accidents, falls, animal bites, labor and home accidents, and also those events related to sports. Facial trauma may result in obstruction of the airway and aesthetics deformities.

Fractures resulting from trauma to the nose may involve the partition of bone and cartilage dividing the two nostrils; flattening and other deformations of the shape of the nose are other possible complications. Injuries may involve other organs. In the event of a nose injury, you must seek urgent medical attention. Some external injuries of the nose may lead to soft-tissue and skin damage. Muscles and nerves of the face should be evaluated. In these cases, reconstructive surgery is necessary in order to safeguard the bone structure and preserve the natural facial expression.

Nasal reconstructive surgery requires a careful clinical examination, x-ray analysis, -even when there are obvious fractures-, in order to determine the severity of the trauma. Suspected nasal fractures must be evaluated immediately and treated as promptly as possible. It is important to examine the positioning of the bones of the septum, as well as bones surrounding the orbit including nasal, maxilla, malar, and frontal bones.

A reconstructive operation requires the surgeon´s experience and possible consultation with other specialists, such as a head and neck surgeon, the otolaryngologist and any other necessary evaluation.

Dr. Jorge Alberto Espinosa Reyes is an experienced facial plastic surgeon and otolaryngologist. As Coordinator of the Facial Trauma Service of the Otolaryngology Department in the Hospital Militar Central for many years in Bogotá, Colombia, Dr. Espinosa has had to manage several nose trauma cases.

Dr. Jorge Alberto Espinosa Reyes extracts a hand-grenade from a soldier’s cheek. Click here.