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Contact our Maryland practice for more information on rhinoplasty or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Schuster.
Greenspring Professional Building
10807 Falls Road
Suite 101
Lutherville, MD 21093
Phone: 866-899-9813
Fax: 410-902-9803
Pre- and Post-Operative Care Instructions From Our Maryland Center: Rhinoplasty
Patients at our Maryland practice interested in rhinoplasty will be carefully instructed on steps to take before and after surgery to maximize their comfort, safety, and results. During your visits, Dr. Ronald Schuster and his staff can provide further information on what to expect throughout your procedure.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE RHINOPLASTY SURGERY:
- 1. Stop taking aspirin and products containing aspirin.
- 2. Please notify the staff at our Maryland office if you develop a cold or illness prior to rhinoplasty surgery.
- 3. Vitamins are important in healing. Begin taking multi-vitamins with C, E, minerals and iron.
- 4. If you plan to wear tinted glasses after surgery, start now to get people accustomed to seeing you with them on.
- 5. If you are having surgery as an outpatient, make certain arrangements have been made to have someone else pick you up after surgery and to stay with you for the first 24 hours.
- 6. Arrange/confirm your appointment with your family doctor to have your pre-op history and physical exam completed within one week prior to surgery.
TWO DAYS BEFORE RHINOPLASTY SURGERY:
- 1. Go to drug store and fill all prescriptions.
- 2. Prepare for ice cold compresses: small zip-lock bags for crushed ice, frozen peas, soft commercial ice packs are good alternatives. Another option: place ice in a large bowl, place a small bowl into the ice, and place damp cloth/gauze into small bowl. The ice will chill the cloth/gauze. Regardless of what method you choose, plan to rotate the compresses to keep them cold.
- 3. Obtain 2x2 inch gauze squares, one roll of 1/2 inch paper tape, Q-tips, Betadine™ liquid soap/scrub, and hydrogen peroxide for after surgery.
- 4. Go to the grocery store to buy "light foods" such as juices, tea, soup, toast, crackers, bagels, jelly, etc.
- 5. Begin taking Arnica Montana - three tablets, three times daily.
EVENING BEFORE RHINOPLASTY SURGERY:
- 1. Wash your face with Betadine™ soap for three full minutes. Avoid contact of jewelry with Betadine™; it stains. Do not use conditioner or hair spray after shampooing.
- 2. Get a good night's rest.
- 3. Do not eat or drink anything after 12:00 midnight prior to rhinoplasty surgery.
- 4. Make some JELL-O® and/or soup for after surgery.
DAY OF RHINOPLASTY SURGERY:
- 1. Do not eat or drink anything prior to surgery.
- 2. Wash your face with Betadine™ for three full minutes and go to the bathroom. Do not wear any facial make-up or lipstick.
- 3. Do not wear wigs, hairpins, hairpieces, or jewelry. Dress in loose comfortable clothes. Do not wear pullover tops or panty hose.
- 4. Have someone drive you to your surgery and make certain a responsible adult will be available to take you home and stay with you for 24 hours.
AT HOME AFTER RHINOPLASTY SURGERY:
- 1. Elevate your head well at all times to help keep swelling to a minimum. Apply ice bags (crushed ice is best) to your eyes and cheeks as much as possible during the day for the first 48 hours after rhinoplasty. Do not get the nasal cast wet or put pressure on it.
- 2. A liquid diet is best for the day of surgery. Begin by taking liquids slowly and progress to light diet as tolerated. You can start with a regular diet the next day.
- 3. You will probably have a bloody nasal discharge for two to four days after your rhinoplasty procedure. Change the gauze pad under your nose as often as needed. Do not rub or blot your nose as this will tend to irritate it. It is normal to have a small amount of blood drip down the back of your throat. Should brisk bleeding occur, lie down flat with your head slightly elevated. Apply fresh ice compresses to the nose. Call the office if bleeding occurs for longer than 30 minutes.
- 4. To prevent post-operative bleeding, do not sniff or blow your nose for the first two weeks after surgery. Try not to sneeze, but if you do, sneeze through your mouth.
- 5. The day after surgery, begin to clean the edges of your nostrils to remove crusts. Use a Q-tip dipped in hydrogen peroxide.
OTHER POST-OPERATIVE RHINOPLASTY INSTRUCTIONS:
- 1. Strenuous activity should be restricted for two weeks after rhinoplasty surgery. After two weeks, you should slowly increase your activities back to normal by the end of the third week.
- 2. Avoid pressure of physical contact to the nose/contact sports for four to six weeks.
- 3. If a dressing has been applied to the ear, keep it dry and intact.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
- 1. The cast will be removed during your post-operative visit at our Maryland center, approximately one week after rhinoplasty surgery. At the time, the nose will appear better but swollen. You will not see the final result right away. Much of the swelling will subside rapidly over the next few days to weeks. However, it usually takes upwards of one year for the last 5 percent of the swelling to disappear.
- 2. The inside of the nose will also be swollen. This will result in difficulty breathing which will progressively improve with time.
- 3. After the cast is removed, the nose can be washed gently with a bland soap and make-up can be applied.
- 4. The tip of the nose will feel numb and occasionally the front teeth will feel "funny". These feelings will gradually disappear.
Contact our Maryland office to schedule a rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. Ronald Schuster.
Ronald H. Schuster, MD is a member of these organizations:
