I had a septorhinoplasty operation under the NHS but after the operation I knew some thing was wrong.

Your questions answered by our surgeon, Lucian Ion, FRCS(Plast)

Asked on 06 April 2011

Question

I had a septorhinoplasty operation over 1 year ago under the NHS due to a deviated septum. I made it clear to the ENT surgeon that I didn't want the front structure of my nose to change, I just wanted to breath better and my nose to stay the same. The surgeon had told me time and time again that the look on my nose should not be affected.

As soon as I looked at the nose after the operation I knew some thing was wrong. I demanded to see the surgeon after the surgery and his reaction was “oh that should not look like that” on the right side there is a lump that was left out and now my nose looks much more bigger, and my nostrils and nasal bridge are wider.

When I went to see him, he also said there was too much cartilage removed from the tip and they would have to replace it.

When I smile my nose tip drops in away it didn’t before. I didn’t want to be operated on by the same doctor so I requested a referral by my GP to be seeing by the lead consultant, that was the worse thing I did, when I arrived in his consulting room he was rude, short and told me the only thing they care about it’s if I am breathing better he said “this is the NHS”.

He seemed bother by the fact I request to be seeing by him. They booked the operation but as soon as I left the consulting room I know I would let him touch my nose.

What should I do? This is making me very depressed and I think about it over 20/30 times a day. I didn’t have a perfect nose before but now every time I look in a mirror makes me angry, I don’t like taking pictures and feel very conscience about it. However I am not going to trust the NHS to operate on me again.

Can I get NHS funding to go private?

Answer

Whilst I doubt that the NHS will fund a private intervention, an option would be to discuss with your GP the option of referral to a plastic surgeon.

If the funding for surgery is approved, it would an option to have the aesthetic aspect revised.

Mr Lucian Ion FRCS(Plast)
129 Harley Street
London
W1G 6BA