TUESDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Breathing obstructions and
dissatisfaction with the symmetry of the tip their nose are common
reasons why people want a second operation to revise their initial
cosmetic nose surgery (rhinoplasty), researchers say.
Between 5 percent to 15 percent of rhinoplasty patients want
revision surgery, according to Dr. Kathy Yu, of Columbia College
and Cornell University in New York City, and colleagues.
For the study, the researchers had 104 patients -- who were
seeking revison surgery in 2008 and 2009 -- complete a
questionnaire that asked them to explain why they wanted the second
operation. The top three reasons were because of nose tip
asymmetry, difficulty breathing or nasal obstruction, and a crooked
middle third of the nose.
Among patients and surgeons, the most common aesthetic concerns
were nose tip asymmetry, a crooked middle third of the nose and
irregularities in the upper third of the nose. Nearly 80 percent of
patient concerns were also identified by a surgeon who examined the
patients, according to the report in the September/October issue of
the journal
Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
"The discrepancy between patient concerns and surgeon findings arose for a variety of reasons," the study authors wrote. "One of the main reasons is the surgeon's use of a conventional set of anatomical boundaries, specifically regarding the upper versus middle third of the nose. Patients often do not have intricate knowledge of nasal anatomy to properly distinguish between nasal thirds."
Sixty-four (62 percent) of patients said they had breathing
problems or other issues with nasal obstructions. The surgeon
confirmed problems in 60 (94 percent) of those patients, the
investigators found.
"These findings emphasize the importance of physician awareness of patients' concerns, understanding the causes of postsurgical nasal obstruction and clearly explaining nasal aesthetics to patients seeking revision rhinoplasty," the researchers concluded.
More information
The American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck
Surgery has more about
nose surgery.