A Nondestructive Approach to Nasal Surgery

Restoring a delicate balance that brings out the best in you -

that is what plastic surgery is all about. No other feature illustrates the power of cosmetic surgery quite like the nose. The nose is one of the most prominent and noticeable of all facial features. Its appearance in relation to other facial features has an immense effect on your overall appearance. When in balance, its subtlety is its beauty. But when out of proportion with its fellow facial features, it can draw unwanted attention.

The nose is an extremely complicated facial feature structurally,

and is unique in each individual. Its aesthetic contribution to the overall appearance of the face is immense, both in desirable and undesirable characteristics. Due to the unique structure and appearance of your nose, in rhinoplasty the individuality of your nasal structures and their relationship to other facial features must be recognized and respected. John B. Tebbetts, M.D., a Dallas plastic surgeon credited with developing a nondestructive nasal surgery technique, says, "In formulating an operative plan for a patient, I will always try to preserve those "positive" characteristics which make your nose individual and unique and modify or improve only those characteristics which detract." It is illogical to envision "the perfect nose" and try to create that on your face ignoring the essential balance that must be preserved.

Nasal surgery can be separated into two different categories.

Structurally, the nose can be envisioned as a tripod if viewed with the head tilted back. The side walls of the nose form the outsides of the tripod, with the septum (which divides the nose in half internally) being the central support of the tripod. When the nose is broken or damaged by trauma, very frequently there is a disruption of both the outer walls of the tripod (nasal bones) as well as the central internal strut (nasal septum). When the nasal septum is bent, broken, or otherwise deviated or damaged, it can produce obstruction of the nasal airways which pass between the limbs of the tripod. To achieve adequate straightening of the septum surgically, it is frequently necessary to reposition external and internal structures. Operative procedures to modify or correct septal abnormalities are called Septoplasty and Submucous Resection. Their purpose is to improve or alleviate airway obstruction. Rhinoplasty is the term used for the second category of nasal surgical procedures directed toward improving the external appearance of the nose.

In the past, traditional surgical methods of reshaping the nose

sought to tear down the existing structure of the cartilage tripod clearing the way for the use of grafts to achieve the desired shape. However, time has proven that the use of grafts introduce uncontrollable variables - shifting in position, resorbing or developing scar tissue - resulting once again in an imbalance and more importantly in a second operation. Dr. Tebbetts' technique of Nondestructive Rhinoplasty has created surgical procedures that approach reshaping the nose from an engineering perspective. The concept is to change the shape of the cartilage tripod by using sutures to apply force on the structure rendering the desired result. By changing the shape of the nose with completely reversible techniques, without destroying its original structure, Dr. Tebbetts can predictably deliver the patient's expected result. And since the uncontrollable variables (grafts) were never introduced into the operation, complications and reoperations are virtually eliminated.

A completely reversible surgical technique?

Sound too good to be true? Dr. Tebbetts cautions patients to remember that his techniques and nondestructive approach to Rhinoplasty can only effectively be applied to a primary nose (one that has not had previous nasal surgery), "Once the structural integrity of the nose has been disrupted in prior surgeries, the predictability of correcting the complications with suture is compromised."

It is important to remember that any cosmetic surgical procedure is not magic.

It is a specific detailed, procedure designed to improve a specific aspect of your appearance. Whether you are happy with the results of cosmetic surgery will depend largely on how well you communicate with your surgeon and how well the surgeon communicates to you the scope of the surgical procedure and what it will and will not accomplish.

The purpose of all types of cosmetic surgery is to restore the essential balance and proportion

that bring out the best in you. By addressing and improving those specific areas which detract from your appearance and leaving the positive aspects undisturbed, this type of surgery in effect improves the negatives, leaves the positives and results in an overall improvement in your appearance.

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Dr. John B. Tebbetts is a board certified plastic surgeon

who specializes in cosmetic surgery of the face and body and breast reconstruction following mastectomy. He currently practices in Dallas and Longview, Texas. The emphasis of Dr. Tebbetts' practice and clinical research is increasing the level of scientific thought and technical perfection in plastic surgical procedures. His latest development is an anatomically shaped, textured saline breast implant that is currently on the market and changing the way both patients and surgeons think about breast augmentation surgery.

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