CORRECTING THE SADDLE NOSE

A saddle nose can not only impair your appearance but also disrupt nasal function. Using modern surgical techniques, I precisely correct the nasal structure, restoring both its aesthetic shape and free nasal breathing.

A saddle nose is a deformation of the nose caused by various reasons, which lead to a loss of stability, especially in the cartilaginous part of the nose. This results in a typical picture with a sunken bridge of the nose and a changed position of the tip of the nose. The external deformation is often combined with impaired nasal breathing.

There are many causes for a saddle nose: Most commonly, it is the result of accidental damage to the nose (nasal bone fracture, septal hematoma) or previous operations on the nose or nasal septum (nasal septal perforation, rhinoplasty), inflammation in the nose (for example in syphilis, lues, Wegner granulomatosis), drug use, nose picking or genetic (Trisomy 21).

The causes of a saddle nose are as varied as the surgical correction is. A rhinoplasty for a saddle nose should therefore only be carried out by an absolute expert in nose surgery.

Due to the lack of support from the nasal septum, the bridge of the nose sinks and the tip of the nose then usually rotates upwards, but in rare cases also downwards. The tip of the nose is widened and nasal breathing is often severely impaired.

Typically, patients want their original nose shape back, unlike most other rhinoplasties where patients are dissatisfied with their natural nose.

The elimination of a saddle nose is not only a cosmetic issue, but usually also a functional improvement. Poor nasal breathing can lead to inflammation of the throat, larynx and airways. The poorly ventilated sinuses can lead to sinusitis and headaches and facial pain. Septal perforations lead to drying out of the mucous membranes, leading to nosebleeds, impaired sense of smell and pain.

A rhinoplasty for a saddle nose is usually a very complex operation in which different parts of the nose have to be reconstructed.

The most important step is always the restoration of a stable nasal septum as a basis for all further steps. The sunken bridge of the nose is then rebuilt using the body's own cartilage. This is taken either from the nasal septum, the auricle or a rib. 

The tip of the nose is reconstructed depending on the change and fixed in the new position.

In our practice in Hamburg, we use the most modern methods to correct saddle noses, such as ultrasonic scalpel/piezo and nasal bridge-preserving techniques such as push-up, for a natural result and faster wound healing.