Why do patients have septorhinoplasty surgery?

The author carried out a recent audit on his septorhinoplasty patients and the results were presented at the Mediterranean Rhinoplasty course in January 2010. The great majority of these patients were from the central Mediterranean although some were North African and Northern European countries.

57% were women and 43% men, aged predominantly between 20 and 40 years of age. 64% of all individuals wished to have a rhinoplasty to improve their cosmetic appearance-two thirds of these were women.36% of patients had septorhinoplasty primarily to improve their breathing and at the same time, their appearance-these were mostly men. Occasionally septorhinoplasty is done purely for functional reasons. 20% of patients had nasal trauma in the past which directly contributed to the nasal deformity. As expected, the great majority (two thirds) of patients with significant previous trauma were men.

Occasionally young women consult the ENT surgeon under the guise of sinus or allergy complaints, with the real reason for the visit being cosmetic improvement.

Patients with nasal obstruction following cosmetic rhinoplasty who want revision surgery, are much more prepared to compromise on the cosmetic result because they are so fed up with their breathing problems.

©Mr. Adrian M Agius