Rhinoplasty

Q: Dr. Eppley, Thank you for your rhinoplasty consultation and doing some computer imaging for me. Now that I am moving forward with actual rhinoplasty surgery can you send me the exact prediction images of my nose results? That will help me understand what I can expect after surgery.

A: There is no such thing as ‘exact prediction images’ in rhinoplasty or any other facial surgery. Prediction imaging is done as a communication method between the surgeon and the patient to determine what changes the patient desires and to make sure what may be possible is in line with the location and extent of changes the patient wants. They should not be interpreted as exact replicas that surgery may achieve nor are they guarantees of the result that would be obtained. They are estimates as to what the surgeon believes may happen but can not take into account the exact anatomic changes they would be done nor the effects of healing on these surgical changes. Therefore one should appreciate the term ‘prediction images’ when it comes to this important presurgical step. Fortunately it is usually more accurate than predicting the weather but the accuracy of rhinoplasty prediction imaging depends on the surgeon doing it.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana