How Long Does a Rhinoplasty Operation Take?

A rhinoplasty is a surgical operation to change the shape of the nose and / or improve its functionality. It can be done for medical reasons such as to correct breathing problems or post-traumatic or congenital deformities, but more commonly for cosmetic reasons to change the shape and appearance of the nose. The shape of the nose is mostly dependent on the shape and structure of the underlying nasal skeleton. Therefore, rhinoplasty operations are mostly aimed at shaping the underlying bone and cartilage structures.

There are various techniques which can be used in a rhinoplasty surgery. The surgeon’s specialization in this field and the patient’s surgical needs are factors regarding this. The surgical approach is planned according to the kind of changes in the structure of the nose to be created. The individual nose structure of each patient is different and the surgical approach of the operation should be planned according to this individuality. The ability to create the patient’s targeted postoperative results is also greatly affected by the preoperative nose structure of the patient. As there is a large variety of nasal anatomies, the duration of the operation can also vary. Rhinoplasty operations are usually performed under general anesthesia. The duration of the operation is usually around 2-3 hours. If hospitalization is needed, it usually does not exceed 1 day.

In cases such as where grafts will be used and in revision cases, the duration of the operation may be longer than average. And in cases such as only the tip of the nose is operated on, the duration of the operation may be shorter than average.