Having a broken nose can change both the appearance and the function of your nose significantly. Prior to breaking your nose, you may not have really noticed your nose and may have been able to breathe through your nose well. After breaking your nose, you may feel that your nose is more prominent or bent, and you can’t breathe through either on either one or both sides.
Aesthetic changes
The change in appearance that a broken nose creates can be both varied and significant. Bends in the nose may now be present which weren’t previously apparent. Your nose may look flat or alternatively have an unsightly hump on it. Twists in the tip of the nose may also present themselves.
Functional changes
The breathing through the nose can be affected significantly because the septum (cartilage in the middle of the nose separating the left and right nostrils) is now bent and the nasal valve (area on the side wall of the nose just above the nostril) might now collapse when you are breathing or when you are asleep.
Treatment of a broken nose
The best method of fixing a broken nose is a functional rhinoplasty. The cosmetic changes of the broken nose can also be addressed at the same time. The procedure varies significantly for each patient but in general involves:
- Combination osteotomies (nasal bone fractures).
- Septoplasty (straighten septum).
- Cartilage harvest for grafting – if your nose is severely broken you may need a rib graft
- Bilateral turbinoplasty (reducing scrolls of tissue inside the nose which can contribute to your blocked nose).
- Structural support grafts to upper half of the nose.
- Structural support grafts to tip of nose.
- Redefining of the tip of the nose.
- Structural support grafts to side walls of nose.
Dr Robinson performs research in rhinoplasty. In 2014 he presented all of his data on patients who had a cosmetic and functional rhinoplasty. This research was presented at the Australian ENT society meeting and demonstrated that all of the patients had had an improvement in the appearance of their nose post operatively.
Dr Robinson has had advanced fellowship training in rhinoplasty and has performed over 700 rhinoplasties. He understands that fixing a broken nose is a procedure that needs to be tailored to the individual.
To discuss fixing a broken nose, please make an appointment with Dr Robinson.