All surgery carries some degree of risk. The best way to reduce your risk is to choose a qualified surgeon with the skills and experience to perform your procedure. Serious complications from Rhinoplasty are rare, but rhinoplasty surgery is a complex procedure. In fact about 15% of rhinoplasty surgery is performed as revisional surgery to correct problems from previous surgery.

Your surgeon should provide you with information about all potential complications of your surgery before asking you to sign a consent form. You should only sign the consent form after you been told about the risks, have understood them and have had the opportunity to ask questions. This article explains the most common risks and complications associated with rhinoplasty surgery.

What are the risks?

Some risks associated with rhinoplasty surgery which is sometimes combined with septoplasty surgery are common to all operations and include infection, bleeding, issues with wound healing or scarring, blood clots in the legs or lungs and reactions to anaesthetic drugs. These risks can be minimised if you are a non-smoker and are in good general health with no significant pre-existing medical conditions. The risk is also minimised by following your surgeon's pre and post-operative instructions.

It is also really important that your surgeon knows your full medical history and any medication or herbal remedies you take before you have surgery. Understanding the risks can help ensure that complications are identified early and dealt with appropriately.

Complications from rhinoplasty or septoplasty surgery may include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Nosebleeds
• Sinus infections
• Scarring or delays in healing
• Skin discoloration
• Poor circulation resulting in loss of skin and mucosal tissue
• Numbness
• Tingling or stiffness around the upper lip and nose
• Septal perforation (a small hole in the septum)

There may also be a need for revisional surgery to address deformity which is residual or recurrent. Another issue to consider is that the patient may not like the end result of nasal surgery although it is important to bear in mind the fact that the final appearance of the nose may not be appreciated for four to six months after surgery.

How To Avoid Unnecessary Risks

The best way to reduce your risk is to choose a qualified surgeon with the expertise and experience to successfully perform your procedure and to guide you in regard to the realistic expectations from surgery. During your consultations your surgeon should provide you with information about potential complications of surgery and it is only when you have understood the information and have had the opportunity to ask questions should you sign a consent form to indicate that you give permission for the procedure to go ahead. It is important that you understand the risks and what they mean, so don't be afraid to ask questions.

Next Step

If you are considering nasal surgery and have questions you would like to ask or if you would like to book a confidential consultation at a cost of $140, click below or call (03) 9088 5000 for the Melbourne practice or (07) 3180 3400 for the Brisbane practice. The Cosmetic Surgery Co-ordinators of NorthEast Plastic Surgery will organise a consultation with Mr Tansley or Dr Seneviratne who are highly qualified and experienced surgeons. They will assess your individual requirements and discuss your preferences in regard to rhinoplasty and septoplasty surgery.