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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Photo showing the before-and-after results of rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty results
Illustration of the nasal bone and cartilage Locations of the nasal bone and cartilage

Rhinoplasty (RIE-no-plas-tee), also referred to as nose surgery, is a surgery that changes the shape of the nose. The motivation for rhinoplasty may be to change the appearance of the nose, its function or both.

When planning rhinoplasty, your surgeon considers your features, the skin on your nose and what you would like to change. The upper portion of the structure of the nose is bone, and the lower portion is cartilage. Rhinoplasty can modify bone, cartilage, skin or all three. Talk with your surgeon about whether rhinoplasty is appropriate for you and what it can achieve.

Why it's done
References
  1. Nose surgery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. http://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/nose-surgery-.html. Accessed May 16, 2013.
  2. Nose surgery. American Academy of Otolaryngology. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/noseSurgery.cfm. Accessed May 18, 2013.
  3. Bagheri SC. Primary cosmetic rhinoplasty. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America. 2012;24:39.
  4. Septoplasty and turbinate surgery. American Rhinologic Society. http://care.american-rhinologic.org/septoplasty_turbinates. Accessed May 15, 2013.
  5. Flint PW, et al. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05283-2..X0001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05283-2&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed May 17, 2013.
  6. Q & A: Stop smoking. American Society of Anesthesiologists. http://www.lifelinetomodernmedicine.com/Anesthesia-Topics/QA-Stop-Smoking.aspx. Accessed May 17, 2013.
  7. Barbara Woodward Lips Patient Education Center. Surgery on the nose. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2013.
  8. Hamilton GS (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 30, 2013.
MY00425 Aug. 13, 2013

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