History of Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty is plastic surgery that can be used to improve the
look of the nose or improve its function. Cosmetic rhinoplasty
makes the nose more beautiful, while medical rhinoplasty
improves the function of the nose and is referred to as
reconstructive rhinoplasty. The word rhinoplasty originates from
two Greek words: rhinos and plastikos. Rhinos means nose in
Greek and plastikos means 'to shape'.
The first known instances of successful rhinoplasty were carried
out in India in 600 B.C. An Indian surgeon named Sushata Samgita
used surgery and skin reconstructions to improve the shape of
noses that had been injured or cut off. Cutting of the nose or
nose tip was a common way of punishing thieves in India during
this period of time. The injured nose served as a warning to
others and the convicts naturally wished to have their noses
restored. By surgically reshaping noses and transplanting skin,
Sushata Samgita made it possible for convicts to get a fresh
start and live a life where they were not stigmatized by their
previous conviction.
Today, cosmetic rhinoplasty is commonly used to make noses
smaller, change their shape, lift up the nose tip, get rid of a
humpback nose, take away a hanging septum, adjust a concave nose
profile or make the overall nose appearance smoother. Fashion,
injuries and birth defects are three common reasons behind
rhinoplasty.
Successful rhinoplasty requires in-depth knowledge and
understanding of the various functions carried out by the human
nose. All the different parts of the nose serve specific
purposes and a skilled rhinoplasty surgeon will know how to
reshape a nose without harming any of these important functions.
Some types of rhinoplasty can be performed under local
anaesthetic, but sedation is also very common. Being sedated for
0.5-2 hours is common during rhinoplasty and after this you will
typically have to spend eight hours in bed. How long you will be
sedated will of course depend on the particular operation.
Rhinoplasty should not be carried out if you have suffered from
a cold during the last two weeks, since this increase the risk
of rhinoplasty complications. Aspirin and similar blood thinning
medications should be avoided during the last few weeks prior to
your rhinoplasty, since they decrease the bloods' ability to
clot and cam make surgery more dangerous. Informing your surgeon
about all the medications that you are currently using is very
important. Your surgeon must also know about any allergies,
illness or unusual reactions to previous surgery.
During rhinoplasty, the incisions are often made from the inside
rim of the nostrils to make them invisible. During some forms of
rhinoplasty, incisions must also be made on the rime of the
nose, but such incisions are usually very tiny and will not be
noticed once they have healed properly. Sometimes the surgeon
needs to add extra material to re-shape the nose of the patient.
This material will preferably be taken from the patients' own
body and can consist of cartilage as well as bone material. It
is also possible to use artificial materials to reshape the nose
during rhinoplasty.