Children do not understand the complexity of surgeries, but sometimes it becomes necessary for children to undergo surgeries like Rhinoplasty. Rhinoplasty is a very complex procedure and where children are concerned it becomes more of a cause of great attention and detail. Only top and expert surgeons can perform Rhinoplasty in Children.
What is the correct age for Rhinoplasty in Children?
If the Rhinoplasty is required for simply cosmetic reasons, then it is not recommended for children. It is to be noted that only the bone is only on the bridge of the nose and the rest of the nose is made of soft tissue called the cartilage. The cartilage does not fully gain strength and continues to develop until the age of sixteen. Also, as children grow up their facial features change and therefore aesthetic Rhinoplasty at the young age is strongly discouraged.
When talking about teenagers, Rhinoplasty requires special consideration because teenagers are old enough to know their mind and are therefore very clear about the kind of nose that they want.
On the other hand for children born with defects in the nose and those suffering from recent trauma the Rhinoplasty becomes a urgent and much needed procedure. Some common causes include
- Midfacial cleft
- Nasal deviation (not seen until after the ages of five)
- Split nose
- enlarged adenoids causing difficulty in breathing
- turbinates
- uneven growth of mid face bones
Important Considerations in Rhinoplasty in Children
A surgeon will need to take a critical call, when considering Rhinoplasty in children. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the growth centers of the nose should not be disturbed, so that the nose grows and attains shape in a proper manner. It is believed that the growth centers are located on the nasal floor. If the surgeon can avoid disrupting them, then the long term and cause of future issues are largely minimized.
Therefore, during the initial consultation, the surgeon will have a detailed discussion with the parents about the process and the results that are expected. The medical and physical history of the child is also taken in the consideration. If the child has been through a lot of trauma then the surgeon might recommend a waiting period. A simple way of knowing whether the child is ready for rhinoplasty or not is to measure the height of the child, if the child is as tall as the tallest parent, then rhinoplasty can be easily done. This is just one of the ways, but the surgeon will take pictures of the child’s nose from all angles to just the level of growth and what changes can be made safely without compromising on the future growth of the child.
An expert surgeon will also sit with the child and explain the procedure to him or her in details. Rhinoplasty in children has to be done very carefully. Too much of changes can cause the nose to grow in strange manner, when the child grows up.
Rhinoplasty in Children Procedure
For children, the Rhinoplasty procedure is generally done under general anesthesia. Open Rhinoplasty is a preferred approach because it gives the surgeon more flexibility to reshape the nose. The scar caused by open Rhinoplasty heals well with time.
After the surgery the child will be breathing through the mouth for some time, but eating and drinking can be resumed in no time. With children, you have to be extra careful during the recovery time, because post-surgery restrictions and instructions have to be strictly followed to ensure full recovery.
Rhinoplasty in children should be only performed under the hands of the expert surgeon only. This will ensure excellent results and the same time not hamper with the required growth of the nose.
