How I Measure a Successful Rhinoplasty

There are several parameters that I use to measure a successful rhinoplasty but the most important one far and away is the patient’s level of happiness. A successful rhinoplasty is one where the patient is happy either because their expectations were met or exceeded. This is my goal for every single surgery that I perform. This can only be achieved by listening carefully and thoughtfully to what the patient is saying regarding their hopes and expectations. Very often a patient will ask for something that I don’t agree with or that I can not give them based on limitations of their anatomy. In those cases I always explain in great detail why I do not feel that I can give them what they are asking for. I find that people are very appreciative of the honesty.

It is absolutely essential to have enough experience to know what is and what is not possible to achieve with different rhinoplasty techniques. The possibilities need to be clearly explained to the patient so that realistic expectations can be set. This is the foundation that is essential for a patient to be happy with their outcome.

There are more objective measurements that are important for a rhinoplasty to be considered successful as well. The bridge should have a smooth appearance from the profile view. Some people want a straight line and others may want a slight slope or bump depending on their personal preferences. The tip should have the appropriate projection from the profile view such that it should not be too far away from the face or too close to the face. The angle that the nose makes with the upper lip is known as the nasolabial angle and this should be about 90 degrees for a man and 100 degrees for a women. From the frontal view there should be a defined bridge such that there is separation for the bridge and the cheek. When someone has their bridge over reduced the bridge blends in with the cheek and this does not look aesthetically pleasing. The tip should have refinement such that there would ideally be a light reflex which means there would be 2 fine points of light that are seen on the tip when a photo is taken. The nose should fit in harmony with the face such that one's eye is not drawn to the nose. Last but certainly not least the nose should maintain its ability to breathe well since nasal obstruction can be detrimental to one's health and quality of life.

Rhinoplasty is one of the most complex surgeries to perform for all of the above mentioned reasons but it is also one of the most rewarding operations for both the patient and the surgeon when it is done correctly.