What is the purpose of the rhinoplasty splint?

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Rhinoplasty surgery causes a lot of trauma to the nasal tissue. In order to reshape the underlying structure of the nose, namely the cartilage and bone, the skin must first be gently lifted off to allow access. Once surgery is complete, the skin will start the slow process of reattaching itself but during this time the patient will experience significant swelling. Sometimes, depending on the technique used and the work required, a splint will need to be applied to help with the healing process. This is normally made from aluminium or other ductile material.

A rhinoplasty splint has several purposes. By taping the nose and applying an overlying splint after surgery the surgeon is compressing the area to prevent the swelling from becoming excessive, and also lessen the risk of fluid or scar tissue forming which might cause distortion of the final result. Reducing swelling also allows the final results of the nose job to become apparent more quickly and will cut the length of the recovery period. Both these factors benefit the skin as it reattaches itself to the underlying framework. The dressing is usually removed one week after the rhinoplasty operation, but occasionally the surgeon may choose to reapply the surgical tape for a further week if the post operative swelling is quite severe.

Because it takes a while for the tissue to settle after a nose job the rhinoplasty splint also protects the newly formed nose from bumps and knocks that may cause irregularities in the shape as the nose heals. This is particularly important during the night as you are unaware of your movements as you sleep. If part of the surgical process was intended to improve breathing then soft internal splints (packing of the nostrils) may also be necessary to help maintain the shape.

As plastic surgeons are trained to have an eye for detail when it comes to aesthetics, most patients will have a neat symmetrical splint. This often means that on occasions where a splint has been applied slightly crooked the patient worries that there is something wrong, and that the asymmetrical rhinoplasty splint is an indication that their new nose will set at a distorted angle too. However, in the majority of instances the positioning of the splint has little or no bearing on how the nose will heal. Similarly, if the patient accidently removes their splint their nose should still heal straight if the surgery was performed successfully and the patient is careful to avoid bumps or knocks to the nose in the weeks following the operation.