Ultrasonic rhinoplasty: what it is and what recovery is like
Ultrasonic rhinoplasty uses a piezo device that cuts nasal bone precisely while sparing the surrounding soft tissue. It is mainly used to reshape a dorsal hump and in complex septal fractures.
Dr. José Luis Daza · Board-certified plastic surgeon
What is ultrasonic rhinoplasty?
It is a rhinoplasty in which I use a piezo device to work on the nasal bone: an ultrasonic instrument that cuts and reshapes bone precisely while sparing the surrounding soft tissue, such as skin, mucosa and blood vessels.
It is not a different surgery but a tool. Rhinoplasty can be cosmetic, functional or both, open or closed; the piezo device is used at the point of the surgery where bone needs to be reshaped.
When is it used?
I have used it for years when the nose needs changes to the bone:
- To reshape a dorsal hump or the nasal bridge.
- In septoplasty with complex septal fractures.
- In revision rhinoplasty, when bone from a previous surgery needs correcting.
If your nose only needs changes to the tip (cartilage), the piezo device is not always necessary. We decide this at your consultation.
No nasal packing
I do not use gauze nasal packing, which used to be the main source of pain after rhinoplasty. In functional rhinoplasty I place silicone splints that let you breathe through your nose from the start.
What recovery is like
Rhinoplasty is an outpatient procedure: you go home the same day. Typically:
- First 72 hours: you breathe through your nose from the start, although swelling can block it for 48 to 72 hours.
- Day 4 to 6: back to your normal activities.
- Day 10: the splint comes off and about 70% of the result is visible; then 5 days with tape.
- 6 weeks: about 90% of the result is visible.
- 3 to 4 months: final result.
Every patient recovers at their own pace. At your consultation I explain what your recovery would look like.
Travelling from abroad?
Most of my patients from other cities and countries fly home 7 to 10 days after surgery, and I try to remove the splint before the trip.
FAQ
Does ultrasonic rhinoplasty mean no swelling?
No. Every rhinoplasty causes some swelling and bruising. The piezo device lets me work on the bone precisely while sparing the surrounding tissue, but recovery still takes time: the final result is seen at 3 to 4 months.
Does every rhinoplasty need the piezo device?
No. It is used when bone needs reshaping, such as a hump or the bridge, or to correct complex septal fractures. If only the tip is changed, it may not be needed.
Can breathing be fixed in the same surgery?
Yes. If you have a deviated septum or enlarged turbinates, they are corrected in the same surgery (septorhinoplasty), with one anesthesia and one recovery.
