Question
Rhinoplasty - infection and swelling more than a year later
The tip of my nose is still pretty swelled up after 13 months of surgery. 10 months into the recovery from surgery, I had a steroid injection, which sped up the healing process, and my nose looked really great afterward.
However, a month after the steroid injection, I had an infectoin which caused my nose to swell up pretty badly, and it returned to a post-op appearance and coloring.
After taking antibiotics, the swelling subsided completely, after which my nose looked great. However, soon after (10 days or so), the tip of nose became swollen again, I had ear pain, and a soar throat, which I took antibiotics for. Now my nose is still swollen, especially after I wake up in the morning, I am very concerned... Suggestions?
Answers (2)
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1
September 22, 2008
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Answer by Michael A. Persky, MD
Hi Dara,
It is unusual to have swelling and infection so many months after rhinoplasty. You need to discuss the situation with your surgeon. There are some things that can cause recurrent infections and swelling that include a foreign body, an infected implant, or an inclusion cyst. The next time that the nose is infected, a culture should be obtained if there is any discharge. If there is a fluctuant area, a needle aspiration may yield material for culture so that the type of bacteria causing the infection can be determined, and the best antibiotic to eradicate it used. If there is an implant, it sounds like it needs to come out at this point. The antibiotic that helped your ear and throat may not be effective against whatever is causing your nasal infection and swelling. Much good luck.
Dr. P
2
September 19, 2008
You may have had an infection related to a cartilage graft or foreign material in your nose. These types of infections usually do not resolve unless the cartilage or foreign object is removed. I would suggest to ask your surgeon whether there are any permanent sutures or grafts in the tip of your nose that may cause persistent infection or swelling. If so he probably would elect to remove them.
On the other hand, If there are no foreign objects or grafts, just wait for the swelling to resolve with time.
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Thank you so much for your helpful insights Dr. Vartany and Dr. Persky!
Indeed, I think that this is the problem. I discussed this with my surgeon and he said that he will have to remove a graft in order to resolve the problem.
However, I did my surgery back home and will not be able to return for 12 months. Do you think that waiting for that long could have adverse results on the final shape of my nose? Would using steroid inhalers to minimize the swelling in the meantime be helpful?
Many many thanks!
Dara
12/6/08
hi dara, how is your nose? i also have an infection that appeared 4 months post op...i ve been on antibiotics for 7 weeks and with no change. i have pus oozing from my nose on a daily basis..im so drained. i may need another op to check to see if its the graft or nylon surtures causing the problem. well, i have five more days of antibiotics to take...my tip is very swollen and i have a cyst on my columella incision that need to be squeezed daily otherwise i have a huge cyst under my nose. im worried that my scar will never heal