December 04, 2014 | Rhinoplasty Surgeon
5 minute read
Nasal Trauma Injury Needs to be Addressed
Sports injuries, accidents and other traumatic events can cause damage to the nose. Many signs of injury to the nose are external and easily observed, such as, bruising, bleeding and swelling. However, there can also be internal damage as well, including a fractured septum, deviated septum or a septal perforation that are not visible to the eye. Surprising to many, the anatomy of the nose is very involved with many intricate and delicate elements, bone and cartilage. The geometry of the nose is highly complex with no straight lines or simple curves. Airflow through the nose is a more complicated process than air over a jet wing. When you injure your nose, there can be a wide range of damage done. So, if your injury results in any symptoms such as swelling, disfigurement or difficulty breathing, you should seek out a consultation with a facial plastic surgeon, like Houston Rhinoplasty specialist, Dr. Russell Kridel.
Timeframe for Surgery:
If the injury is extensive with visible bleeding, most patients go to the emergency room. A wise decision. However, if the injury was not extensive, many patients believe little or no damage was done and simply put ice on their nose, wait for the swelling to go down and nothing else. Sometimes, patients have a sports injury in childhood and adjust to abnormal breathing into adulthood until they have so much difficulty breathing they seek a physician’s help. In fact, any impact with the nose can result in extensive damage, particularly internal injury. If an injury occurs, here is a good overall timeframe to follow.
- If your nose is bleeding excessively or you have a great deal of pain you should seek immediate professional medical care
- For patients who notice any moderate to significant changes in breathing or have swelling and bruising, should see Dr. Kridel within a couple of days. He will be able to assess the damage and help set a treatment plan. Simple breaks or deviations can be reset within 7 to 14 days.
- If Dr. Kridel finds the injuries require more extensive surgery, he will recommend surgery for about six months after the trauma and the nose has healed.
Septal Perforation:
In some cases, the traumatic injury can result in a perforated septum, which is a hole in the septum. This hole cannot be seen in a mirror and left unidentified can actually grow in size over time. A septal perforation can result in nasal crusting, whistling, difficulty breathing that can be both annoying and in some instances, debilitating. One more reason not to wait to have an evaluation by Dr. Kridel following a traumatic nasal injury. Fortunately, Dr. Kridel is recognized as the preeminent expert in septal perforation repair. But, needless to say, he would far prefer that patients take more preventive and active measures following a traumatic injury to avoid a perforation if possible.
Correcting Damage from Nasal Trauma:
No two noses are the same and when traumatic injury is involved, the challenge is even greater because the internal anatomy may also have changed. It is important that you identify a facial plastic surgeon to consult. Facial plastic surgeons, like Dr. Kridel, have extensive training focused solely on the nose, head and neck. To become a facial plastic surgeon, you must first complete a residency in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. Then they complete an additional residency on facial plastic surgery. So, they can address both the appearance, but also the function to restore or enhance the look of your nose and also make sure that you can breathe normally once again. General plastic surgeons perform surgery on the whole body and do not have this additional training focused on the nose. For the majority of patients, Dr. Kridel will need to perform a septoplasty to correct the damage to the septum. He may also need to reduce the turbinates to improve airflow. In addition, in most cases the shape of the nose has also been altered as a result of the injury. Where appropriate, Dr. Kridel will perform a rhinoplasty to correct and improve the appearance of the nose to match your aesthetic goal.
What sets Dr. Kridel apart?
No other plastic or facial plastic surgeon in Houston has as much expertise or experience in nasal surgery as Dr. Russell Kridel. He is recognized as a world-renowned expert in Rhinoplasty by both peers and patients and is often referred to as “The Nose Doc” because of the depth of his expertise. Dr. Kridel has been performing facial plastic surgery procedures for over 20 years and currently performs more than a hundred fifty nasal surgeries per year. He has published over 60 scientific journal articles and textbook chapters on the subject of Rhinoplasty and has developed four innovative surgical techniques for nasal surgery that have been incorporated into the curriculum for plastic surgery training. Dr. Kridel is also invited as a featured guest lecturer on Rhinoplasty to the most prestigious medical symposiums in the U.S. and around the world. Dr. Kridel has also been named a Castle Connolly and H-Texas Magazine Top Doc from 2005 – 2014, among many other accolades. Because of this experience, physicians refer other patients, themselves and family members to Dr. Kridel for Rhinoplasty surgery. Needless to say, you will be in the best of hands with Dr. Kridel.
— Kirin, Facial Plastic Surgery Associates
To make an appointment with Dr. Kridel for a Rhinoplasty consultation, please call 713/526-5665.
