Learning objectives: After reading this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Discuss desired preoperative aesthetic and functional assessment of the postsurgical nose with rhinoplasty patients. 2. Identify factors that have the potential to affect procedural outcomes. 3. Develop an operative plan to address aesthetic goals while preserving/improving nasal airway function. 4. Recognize and manage complications following rhinoplasty.
Summary: Rhinoplasty is one of the most commonly performed aesthetic surgical procedures in plastic surgery. Over the past 20 years, the trend has shifted away from ablative techniques involving reduction or division of the osseocartilaginous framework to conserving native anatomy with cartilage-sparing suture techniques and augmentation of deficient areas to correct contour deformities and restore structural support. Accurate preoperative systematic nasal analysis and evaluation of the nasal airway, along with identification of both the patient's expectations and the surgeon's goals, form the foundation for success. Intraoperatively, adequate anatomical exposure of the nasal deformity; preservation and restoration of the normal anatomy; correction of the deformity using incremental control, maintenance, and restoration of the nasal airway; and recognition of the dynamic interplays among the composite of maneuvers are required. During postoperative recovery, care and reassurance combined with an ability to recognize and manage complications lead to successful outcomes following rhinoplasty.