Rhinoplasty can be performed using two different techniques: Open rhinoplasty and closed rhinoplasty. Open rhinoplasty is a surgical technique performed after a small incision is made in the skin between the nostrils and the nasal skin is removed so the nasal skeleton becomes visible.
In the closed rhinoplasty technique, operation is performed directly through the nostrils. Those two techniques are greatly different from each other and both require intensive experience on them. In the closed rhinoplasty technique, all incisions are made inside the nose and there is no incision mark on the tip of the nose. In the closed technique, it is mostly performed to correct the problems on the ridge and tip of the nose. Closed rhinoplasty is technically more difficult, requires the surgeon to have a very good command of anatomical knowledge. In this technique, the cartilages at the tip of the nose are traumatized less, edema and swelling recover quicker and asymmetry is less common.
The reason why open rhinoplasty is preferred over closed rhinoplasty may be to correct revision rhinoplasty and excessively deviated septum. It is partially easier than closed rhinoplasty because the nasal tip skin is removed and operation is performed while the cartilages are visible. In the open rhinoplasty technique, cartilages can be traumatized more. Edema and swelling may take longer to heal. Errors made in the open rhinoplasty technique are more likely to be apparent after the recovery period after the operation. In fact, one of the other indications of an open rhinoplasty is revision operations.
