First Interview and Inspection

Let’s say you decided to have a rhinoplasty surgery and have chosen the appropriate physician. Your first interview and examination are important for the success of surgery. In this interview, you will specify your expectations and what kind of nose you want and you will also discuss with your physician that to what extent your possible surgical outcome can meet your expectations.

In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration if I say that post-operative happiness lurks in this first interview. I show you the pre- and post-operative photos (received permission and approved) of other patients who have undergone surgery in the same session. I think these photos are more important than virtual nose design work because your physicians’ previous works will give the best idea about how kind of physician he/she is in terms of surgical notion. I present to my patients the possible results with Photoshop and 3D imaging programs and the possibility to analyze their new nose together. As the secret of a natural, functional and beautiful nose lies behind analysis and interview, I always ask my patients what kind of nose will disturb them and try to learn their expectations.

I think the question of “what kind of nose you don’t want” is more important than the question of “what kind of nose do you want”? Be sure that falling outside the expectation is worse than not meeting expectations. Therefore, I ask my patients, who come for rhinoplasty, to show the three details that disturb them in front of the mirror in the first interview. This is a hint that will be quite helpful for me in planning surgery.

Explain what kind of nose can make you unhappy during the interview down to the last detail. Talk with your physician in detail about the operation process, which technique will be used, whether tampons will be placed, control periods after the surgery, and your healing process. You should have an idea before surgery about possible complications.

Ask these questions: “Will you be able to reach your physician easily in the postoperative period?” or “Will you get in touch with your physician or his/her assistant?” I personally prefer to talk to all of my patients myself before and after the surgery and I try to answer their questions.

In this interview, in which you will try to get answers to every question in your mind, tell your physician if you have nasal congestion that disturbs you. In the detailed examination of patients presenting only with cosmetic problems, functional problems are also detected in approximately 35% of them. Therefore, both cosmetic problems and functional problems should be solved after surgery.