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Rhinoplasty and Septoplasty

“I love performing rhinoplasty,” says Dr. Paul Vanek, a board-certified general and plastic surgeon. “Rhinoplasty is one of the most technically challenging procedures in surgery, which only makes it more fun.”

“My patients come to see me the day after surgery, and even though they are swollen and have a little splint on the top of their nose, they already know they are breathing better. They already know that the things we discussed are going to work: things to take down their bump, narrow their bridge, or make their tip the way they always thought it could be. They can already see the changes we discussed using Mirror Image™ software. They already know, just one day later, that they are going to be happy. To achieve a wonderful, functional, and cosmetic rhinoplasty is one of my greatest joys as a surgeon.”

What are Rhinoplasty, Septoplasty and Turbinate surgeries?

Rhinoplasty is the term for the aesthetic reshaping of the nose. Because of his training and experience, Dr. Vanek also offers septoplasty and turbinate surgery, which are procedures to correct breathing problems like snoring. Septoplasty is the term for the repair of a deviated or deformed septum (the cartilage and tissue between the nostrils). The turbinates warm and humidify the air as it passes through the nose, but they can swell and enlarge, which impairs breathing and must be surgically corrected. Since septoplasty and turbinate surgery are for resolving functional issues related to breathing, they are often covered by insurance.

A car analogy helps illuminate the difference,” explains Cleveland nose surgery specialist Dr. Vanek. “How the car drives is how well the nose breathes. How the turbinates and septum obstruct or don’t obstruct the airway – the engine-work – are the functional components covered by insurance. Fixing how the chassis looks is bodywork, which is cosmetic. So, how it looks is different than how it runs. But I can blend them into a simultaneous recovery for an improvement in both airway function and the aesthetic appearance of the nose in a single anesthesia period.”

Did You Know that Dr. Vanek Also Performs Revision Rhinoplasty?

Dr. Vanek also performs revision rhinoplasty. “Revision surgery is always somewhat more challenging, but I have the experience and ability,” says Dr. Vanek. “One of my recent patients had nose surgery elsewhere and felt that her nose was far too large and her tip was far too projected. After surgery, when she was one day post-op, she said she felt, for the first time in 25 years, that the first thing she saw was her lips instead of her nose. She realized that she liked her beautiful feminine lips and her nose was no longer a distraction. That’s very gratifying, because she was so dismayed with the previous outcome of her nose,” says Dr. Vanek.

What are Some Expectations for Rhinoplasty?

Dr. Vanek tailors each procedure to fit your unique needs and anatomy. Mirror Imaging® software will be used so you and Dr. Vanek can set realistic expectations and achievable goals together. Your photo will be taken, and in this program these photographs can be “morphed” or modified in order to simulate the outcome after swelling has subsided and ideal healing has occurred. Several views of you can be shown next to the digitally changed versions for side-by-side comparison. The next discussion will be in the context of your features compared with the results seen in the before and after photographs of other actual patients with similar concerns who have already healed.

“No one can guarantee a great result, but if it’s an outcome that is possible, I will strive to achieve that outcome,” Dr. Vanek says. “Give us a call. I’d love to talk with you and help you celebrate your beauty.” Contact us today to see what we can do for you.