Rhinoplasty is a cosmetic surgical procedure which is usually performed by either
an Otolaryngologist, Maxillofacial Surgeon, or general Plastic Surgeon in order
to improve the function (reconstructive surgery) and/or the appearance (cosmetic
surgery) of a person's nose. Rhinoplasty is also commonly called a "nose job".
Rhinoplasty can be performed to meet aesthetic goals or for reconstructive
purposes to correct birth defects or breathing problems. It can be combined with
other surgical procedures such as chin augmentation to enhance the aesthetic
results.
Rhinoplasty was first developed by Sushruta, an important physician
(often regarded as the "father of plastic surgery") who lived in ancient
India circa 500 BC, which he first described in his text Sushruta Samhita. He
and his later students and disciples used rhinoplasty to reconstruct noses that
were amputated as a punishment for crimes. The techniques of forehead flap rhinoplasty
he developed are practiced almost unchanged to this day. This knowledge
of plastic surgery existed in India up to the late 18th century as can be seen
from the reports published in Gentleman's Magazine (October 1794).[1]
The
first intranasal rhinoplasty in the West was performed by John Orlando
Roe in 1887. It was later used for cosmetic purposes by Jacques Joseph (b. Jakob
Lewin Joseph) in 1898 to help those who felt that the shape or size of their
nose caused them embarrassment and social discomfort. His first rhinoplasty patient
was a young man whose large nose caused him such embarrassment that he felt
unable to appear in public. He approached Joseph because he had heard of a
previous successful otoplasty, or "ear job," which the surgeon had performed.
It
can be performed under a general anesthetic or with local anesthetic,
depending on patient or doctor preference. Incisions are made inside the nostrils
(closed rhinoplasty). Sometimes, tiny, inconspicuous incisions are also
made on the columella, the bit of skin that separates the nostrils (open rhinoplasty).
The surgeon first separates soft tissues of the nose from the underlying
structures, then reshapes the cartilage and bone causing the deformity. |
