LUISA: I’m having rhinoplasty, it’s to help with my breathing problem but also with the cosmetic part. I’ve never been too happy about my profile. The front profile I’m fine, I like my nose.
DR. NASSIF: Luisa is a wonderful wonderful young lady with a great family. And some of the issues that Luisa has with her nose and one of the things that really really has bothered her for as long as she can remember is the nasal hump, her profile.
LUISA: Many people just tell me they don’t know that my nose is larger than what it seems until they see the side profile, and it’s the side profile that bothers me.
DR. NASSIF: In addition she can’t breathe well out of the left side of her nose.
LUISA: I have an eighty percent obstruction in this side, so that’s what pushed me to do it more.
DR. NASSIF: But she really likes the current shape of her nasal tip and the nostril area, she does not want that changed.
LUISA: I just want to look normal; I just want to be me, just better. My first consultation with Dr. Nassif was, actually I was surprised, he was really down to earth. He had a really nice attitude where he makes you feel not so intimidated. He’s pretty amazing.
DR. NASSIF: Hi Luisa.
LUISA: Hi.
DR. NASSIF : How are you doing ?
LUISA: Pretty good.
DR. NASSIF: When I see the patient, I’m going to spend a good 45 minutes what that patient. We’re going to talk about what they’re looking for, if they’ve had a previous rhinoplasty in the past, what are they unhappy with. You know what really bothers them about their nose, and while I’m listening to the patient, and that’s a very important point, listening to the patient, I’m going to try to see if I can extract if they’re realistic about their expectations. Following listening and talking to the patient, I’m going to examine the patient. Communication is very important when it comes to the surgery, especially for rhinoplasty surgery. Our goal is to use all this as a tool to examine the nose and to create a bond with that patient and the physician. It’s very important.
(Speaking to Luisa) the lower part of your nose with the tip is a little bit…
LUISA: I’m about to go into my procedure and I’m not so much nervous anymore but I’m just like anxious. I’m anxious. So I look forward to just getting through this and starting the next chapter in my life.
DR. NASSIF: For Luisa’s surgical procedures we performed initially a septoplasty and turbinoplasty. This is a functional procedure to help open up her airway and that’s all performed by making small incisions inside of her nose. We then performed a closed or endonasal rhinoplasty and a few things that we performed was one we took down her hump, and we took down her hump quite significantly. We also put something called a columellar strut, which is a piece of cartilage placed inside of her nasal tip region just to keep it strong so that it won’t droop. We also put a little bit of crushed cartilage in the infratip region and it gave her a little bit more projection. And after we take down the hump there’s usually a little gap in the bones. So we brought the nasal bones in called osteotomies, and then we also right in the middle part of the nose built up what we call the middle vault with spreader grafts. The reason why we did that is because she was a little bit pinched in this airway, and that was also causing some nasal obstruction. So we performed multiple procedures on her. The surgery went smooth it was exactly what I expected and I’m sure she’s going to do fantastic.
We’re done!
Today I saw Luisa; she was about seven weeks following a closed rhinoplasty. She looks great.
Hi Luisa.
LUISA: Hi, how are you?
DR. NASSIF: How are you doing?
LUISA: Could be better.
DR. NASSIF: Uh oh, we’ve got to hear about that then.
LUISA: Yeah. I actually didn’t have a good day yesterday. My son actually was throwing a little tantrum, he bonked his head up my nose and it hurt so bad that is just swelled up right away.
DR. NASSIF: Where, here or there?
LUISA: There, it seemed like the tip.
DR. NASSIF: So you’re head went boom?
LUISA: Yes.
DR. NASSIF: Ok. She also told me that she also had another problem occur a few weeks before even.
LUISA: And he whacked me again going upward.
DR. NASSIF: She said her nose is swollen and it’s tender, and she was worried that there may be some asymmetry but I didn’t see that today. Maybe a little bit of swelling but she looked pretty pretty good overall.
A little bit of swelling going on but for two months your nose looks fantastic. I don’t think we have a lot of damage at all from getting hit in the nose.
LUISA: Thank God.
DR. NASSIF: So I think you’re fine.
Well she’s had two little traumatic episodes to her nose but overall she’s healing beautiful.
LUISA: I can say everyday for the rest of my life and it still won’t add up to how much you changed my life, just that I feel good.
DR. NASSIF: What I want to do now is take some photos of you.
LUISA: Ok.
DR. NASSIF: Right there, perfect, wonderful.
LUISA: The surgery has changed my life by the fact that I’m able to breathe better and sleep better. I think that emotionally and mentally I’m on a different level. I feel like my mind has expanded just as far as my outlook on everything. For me it’s just like a stepping stone into the next phase of my life. It’s just the beginning of another chapter.
DR. NASSIF: Perfect. Guess what? We’re done with your photos.
LUISA: Thanks.
DR. NASSIF: At this point she’s very early in her healing phase and she has to heal for a full year, and I’m very happy at her progress right now at this point. She just has to be very careful.
And be careful with your nose.
LUISA: Thank you doctor.
DR. NASSIF: My pleasure, my pleasure.
LUISA: You’re awesome.
DR. NASSIF: Your nose looks great, and guess what, you’re not even fully healed yet, it’s going to take more time.
LUISA: And I feel good, I feel so good. Thank you so much.
I’m actually happier, I don’t at the little things anymore, I mean I’m just less picky about ok what do I need to fix next. Now I think he’s taken me to another level where I’m just happy with myself. I feel complete you could say.
