Plastic surgery is not only the work of the surgeon, anesthesiologist and medical staff.The result of the operation largely depends on the patient himself and his behavior during the recovery period.Rehabilitation after rhinoplasty- the same part of the operation as preparation for it, and the actual execution.
Rehabilitation after rhinoplasty: what can cause complications
Rhinoplasty is a complex operation, after which negative consequences occur in every tenth patient.Complications after rhinoplasty can be associated both with the surgeon’s error and with the patient’s violation of the restrictions after the operation.
Poor qualifications of the surgeon can lead to the formation of scars due to damage to the skin or cartilage tissue.Scarring and adhesions in the future are quite difficult and long to treat.Damage to bone tissue also indicates a medical error, fraught with impaired respiratory function and an unsatisfactory aesthetic result.To correct it, a repeat operation is required, which is usually more difficult to perform, and the surgeon’s skill must be at its best.
The consequence of violation on the part of both the surgeon and the patient is severe bleeding that opens during the operation.A damaged large vessel or medications taken that affect blood clotting can lead to a similar complication.
Failure to comply with sterility rules leads to infection, if detected, it is important to immediately seek medical help.Unpleasant complications such as skin necrosis occur as a result of excessively excised surfaces.Repeated excision of damaged tissue avoids further development of tissue necrosis.
If the patient did not follow the recommendations of the postoperative period and removed the bandage prematurely or did not properly care for the nasal cavity, there is a possibility of sutures coming apart.This will require repeated intervention and suturing.Patients who do not take the doctor’s recommendations seriously can cause not only suture dehiscence, but also bone and cartilage tissue dehiscence due to a momentary desire to show off a new nose.
Due to a surgeon's error, various disorders are possible due to a deviated nasal septum, for example, impaired nasal breathing or problems with the blood supply to the nasal passages.
Aesthetic complications caused by low qualifications of the surgeon include deformation of the nose in the area of the bridge of the nose, a too short or “beak-shaped” nose, severe asymmetry, and any other violations of the aesthetics of the nose.A complex consequence of medical error is excessive removal of bone or cartilage tissue, which may require tissue augmentation through implantation, contouring, or autotransplantation of patient tissue.To avoid the discrepancy between the outcome of the operation and the expected effect, it is important to undergo a preliminary simulation of the result in the clinic where rhinoplasty is supposed to be performed.
Limitations after rhinoplasty
Rehabilitation after rhinoplasty involves a number of serious restrictions, strict adherence to which will have a positive impact on the outcome of the operation.
Smoking is prohibited two weeks before rhinoplasty and two weeks after it, since nicotine limits the access of oxygen to blood vessels and nerves and thereby prevents tissue healing.Tissue necrosis develops in smokers several times more often than in patients who follow a healthy lifestyle.Recovery after rhinoplastyimposes a similar restriction on alcohol consumption.
A mandatory restriction is sleeping on your back with a high pillow to quickly get rid of swelling and prevent injury to the operated organ.So sleeping on the back should become a new habit for the patient.
Rehabilitation after rhinoplasty will require the patient to give up medications that thin the blood or affect blood clotting.Thus, anticoagulants, as well as hormonal contraceptives, should not be used until the end of the recovery period.
Traumatic sports involving the ball (basketball, football, etc.), skating, roller skating and similar means of transportation, including alpine skiing, should be postponed until the nasal tissues have completely healed.You should not bend over your head or engage in exercises that involve sudden lifting or changing the position of your torso.
When taking a warm shower, you should not allow the plaster cast to get wet, otherwise unpleasant complications may occur in the form of suppuration or infection of the tissue, and the soaked plaster will no longer be able to keep the shape of the new nose.
The patient should not plan a pregnancy within a year after nose correction, since recovery after rhinoplasty implies complete rest of the operated organ and the absence of any stress on the body, including hormonal ones.
Stress on the body also includes physical activity, which should be excluded so that rehabilitation after rhinoplasty is successful and without complications.Any activity that causes increased pressure in the body can impair healing and proper tissue fusion.In this regard, the recommendation not to be nervous and avoid stress in the light of rehabilitation after rhinoplasty looks especially relevant, because any stress immediately affects the internal processes of the body.
Minor restrictions include a ban on decorative cosmetics and cosmetics, except for drugs prescribed by a doctor.
Rehabilitation after rhinoplasty will go without complications if, for a month after the operation, you refrain from activities associated with temperature changes, for example, you should not visit baths and saunas, it is important to avoid solariums and sunbathing, and you will also have to avoid visiting the pool, since chlorinated water can have an aggressive effect on healing tissues.
The operation is completed, what next?
Patients are often worried about what awaits them immediately after surgery.The first two or three days are the most difficult and uncomfortable.A bandage will be placed on the face, and the nostrils will be closed with turundas - twisted cotton swabs.Turundas fix the tissues of the nose from the inside and promote their healing in the correct position.In addition, they prevent bleeding, which is dangerous for unhealed sutures.The external fixator of the new nose is a bandage or plaster splint.The presence of turundas in the nose significantly limits breathing, and breathing through the mouth is very unusual and quickly dehydrates the oral mucosa.In addition, the presence of postoperative swelling also interferes with normal breathing, as a result the patient may feel like he has a cold, but the effect of a stuffy nose will disappear along with the swelling.This unpleasant moment must be endured for 2-3 days, after which the turundas are removed and the patient goes home.Depending on the complexity of the operation, the patient will stay in the clinic for 2-3 days with constant care and under full medical supervision.Sometimes less time in the clinic will be required depending on the complexity of the operation.
One of the unpleasant symptoms that can occur during rehabilitation after rhinoplasty can be a headache that occurs during the first couple of days.It can be treated with painkillers prescribed by a doctor.
The already mentioned swelling of the nose may make the patient want to free the nose from mucus, but under no circumstances should one blow the nose or cough, since any increase in pressure in the nose can lead to the sutures coming apart.For the same reason, after rhinoplasty you should not catch a cold, so as not to provoke a runny nose and even more nasal congestion.After the operation, the doctor will show you how to clear your nose without the risk of injuring it.
Recovery after rhinoplasty is fraught with slight weakness and even fever in the first couple of days immediately after surgery.This is normal after surgery, so it is best to give yourself a chance to rest.
After the operation, hematomas and swelling under the eyes are possible, however, in order to hide them, you should not wear glasses for 3 months after the operation: any weight and pressure on the bridge of the nose can change the results of the operation and deform the new bridge of the nose that has not yet been restored.Experts recommend not being socially active and staying at home during rehabilitation.
To speed up recovery, the clinic may offer special physiotherapeutic measures.They are usually performed starting from the second day after surgery.This way, rehabilitation after rhinoplasty will be easier and more comfortable than with self-care.