Functional Rhinoplasty
Functional rhinoplasty in Dallas is a recommended surgery for patients with difficulty breathing or previous injury to the nose. Functional rhinoplasty unblocks the nasal passages and allows better airflow, fewer sinus infections, better sleep, and a better sense of smell. Dallas board-certified Dr. Azouz is a functional rhinoplasty specialist; he has helped patients correct the nose’s anatomy to relieve nasal obstructions and improve patients well being. Functional rhinoplasty might be covered by insurance and performed as day surgery. Request your functional rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. Azouz and take the first step to correct breathing problems.
What is a Functional Rhinoplasty?
A functional rhinoplasty refers to surgery within the nose that addresses the breathing and function of the nose. A functional rhinoplasty can be performed with or without a cosmetic rhinoplasty.
What is a Septoplasty?
A septoplasty addresses the wall which divides the two halves of the nose internally. When a functional rhinoplasty is combined with a septoplasty it is termed a septorhinoplasty. Straightening the septum can be beneficial in unblocking the side of the nose to which the septum deviates.
Am I a Candidate for a Functional Rhinoplasty?
Candidates for a functional rhinoplasty include patients who have difficulty breathing, a previous injury to the nose, or someone born with a narrow or crooked nasal passage. A functional rhinoplasty can increase the nasal passages, correct a deviated septum, and reshape and reposition cartilage.
Symptoms of nasal obstruction
The symptoms of nasal obstruction include poor breathing and movement of air through the nose, frequent sinus infections, poor sense of smell, and feel of the nose being “blocked” or “plugged”.
Functional Rhinoplasty Benefits
Functional rhinoplasty assists in unblocking the pathway of air into the nose allowing patients to correct breathing problems. This can be especially beneficial in patients who have:
- Sleep apnea
- Excessive congestion
- Postnasal drip
- Difficulty breathing through the nose
- Severe seasonal allergies
- Poor sense of smell
- Improvement in sinusitis
- Less frequent cold and flu-like symptom
How is a Functional Rhinoplasty Different than a Cosmetic Rhinoplasty?
A cosmetic rhinoplasty (nose job) affects the appearance of the nose in order to make it look better. This is the procedure that is often referred to as a “nose job”. A functional rhinoplasty can be performed in conjunction with a cosmetic rhinoplasty.
Can a Functional Rhinoplasty be Combined with a Cosmetic Rhinoplasty and Other Plastic Surgeries?
Yes, functional rhinoplasty can be paired with a cosmetic rhinoplasty and other plastic surgeries, such as:
How Functional Rhinoplasty is Performed in Dallas?
A functional rhinoplasty involves realigning the nasal septum and reducing the turbinates. Functional rhinoplasty is a day surgery that is usually performed under sedation. Dr. Azouz has had significant success in performing a functional rhinoplasty that is definitive, meaning it does not need to be performed again. Dr. Azouz has also performed definitive functional rhinoplasty on patients who have had their first surgery performed elsewhere.
Anesthesia for Functional Rhinoplasty
A functional rhinoplasty performed by Dr. Azouz is done under local and sedation. Dr. Azouz’s patients report less nausea, more pain control, and a quicker recovery using local and sedation anesthetic. General anesthesia can be performed if necessary for patients who require it.
Functional Rhinoplasty Recovery
Functional rhinoplasty is generally associated with a quick recovery. Patients are restricted from performing heavy activities such as CrossFit, endurance running, contact sports, and lifting for 4-6 weeks after surgery. There is usually no packing that needs to be placed in the nose. Patients can have some congestion that can last 2-3 weeks after surgery. This is generally from swelling inside the nose. Significant epistaxis (nose bleed) is rare after functional rhinoplasty.
A functional rhinoplasty does not generally alter the tone, pitch, or volume of the voice.
The nose consists of many layers including skin, cartilage, and mucosa. Swelling can become trapped within these layers after surgery. The swelling is heavily dependent on the amount of surgery performed, the patient’s skin quality, and if the surgery is primary or secondary. While the majority of swelling will improve five to ten days after surgery, some patients report that their noses will continue to shrink even a year or longer after surgery. There are many techniques to reduce swelling after rhinoplasty. These include taping, silicone gel, and massaging and moisturizing the nose.
The sinuses produce up to 2 liters of mucus a day. With nasal anatomy that is functioning properly the mucous travels to the back of the nose and throat. When a deviated septum or enlarged nasal turbinates block the outflow the mucus can build up, cause pressure, and even become inflamed or infected.
Does Medical Insurance Cover a Functional Rhinoplasty?
Many medical insurance plans do include functional rhinoplasty as a covered procedure, but not all. Dr. Azouz generally needs to perform a preauthorization to determine if functional rhinoplasty is a covered procedure with the specific plan. In case your insurance does not cover functional rhinoplasty, Dr. Azouz offers different financing options for his patients.
Functional Rhinoplasty Cost
A functional rhinoplasty cost depends on the areas that plastic surgeon Dr. Azouz will need to treat. After your initial consultation, Dr. Azouz will provide an estimated cost of your functional rhinoplasty and inform the different financing options available to make affordable your functional rhinoplasty in Dallas.
Functional Rhinoplasty Results
The success of the functional rhinoplasty can be felt right away, and the patient will breathe easier. If the patient decided to combine functional and cosmetic rhinoplasty, patients will see nose reshaping truly definitive results around 12-14 months after the surgery.
Schedule Your Consultation with Dr. Azouz
If you are a patient concerned with nasal function and breathing problems, functional rhinoplasty in Dallas might address these problems. Call at (972) 702-8888 or schedule an appointment with plastic surgeon Dr. Azouz to evaluate your case.
Frequently Asked Questions
The different types of nose jobs include:
- Open Rhinoplasty - a cut is made on the outside of the nose
- Close Rhinoplasty - a cut is made inside the nose only
- Secondary Rhinoplasty - a patient has had the rhinoplasty before
- Non-surgical rhinoplasty - no cuts are made and filler is injected in the nose
- A functional rhinoplasty
Ideally, a functional rhinoplasty is performed in conjunction with a cosmetic rhinoplasty. Dr. Azouz recommends a functional rhinoplasty be performed at least four to six months after a prior nasal surgery.
Septoplasty involves straightening the nasal septum. The cartilage is molded in position during a functional rhinoplasty.
Dr. Azouz performs functional rhinoplasty in all ages. Teenage patients benefit from functional rhinoplasty as do adult patients from their 20s to their sixties.
A functional rhinoplasty can usually be performed by Dr. Azouz in less than an hour.
Functional Rhinoplasty patient review for Dr. Azouz
“Dr. Azouz is a fantastic surgeon. He is very experienced and made me very comfortable with his surgery. He did the surgery on my nose which was broken and I had so many stitches (like 30) because it was so messed up .But now you can barely see my scar and I am so happy with what he did to fix everything. He checked on me and was really very nice and comforting the whole time. I really like his staff who were kind to me too. I feel like I have a lot of my confidence back and see that picking the right surgeon totally paid off. I defintely hope to go back to him if I needed anything or if my family every needed something. Thanks much to him!”