Rhinoplasty is as popular as ever, which means the demand for newer technology and more advanced techniques is more important than it’s ever been. The process of working on the bone and cartilage in a patient’s nose is quite complicated and surgeons have to ensure that their patients are satisfied with the results. In order to execute the surgery in a way to reduce the chances of damage or unhappy patients, the practice of performing rhinoplasty has seen many advancements along the way.
The reshaping of noses is a practice that has been around for hundreds of years, going as far back as 1000 AD. In the 16 century, “nose jobs” were primarily performed to replace or reshape one’s nose in the aftermath of battle or in the case of facial deformities. Thankfully, surgery became a little more refined when in the 19 century, practices for pain relief and infection reduction were implemented through the use of anesthesia and antiseptics. The most significant change to the way rhinoplasty was performed was introduced by Dr. Jacques Joseph, the “Father of Modern Anesthetic Surgery,” when he created the process of performing rhinoplasty by breaking and reshaping the bone of the nose using a hammer and chisel.
This technique became the standard procedure for rhinoplasty and the practice remained relatively unchanged for decades. Which is why with the increased desire for rhinoplasty in recent years, a need was felt for tools that would increase the precision of the surgical process and offer a gentler approach. This need was filled with the introduction of electric power tools.
Surgical Blueprint: This is how we measure and plan rhinoplasty at Aesthetx.
Electric power tools have been around for years but were mostly used for dental and oral procedures to deal with fillings, extractions and so forth. Now power tools have been adopted by the plastic surgery industry to more precisely and carefully shape noses during rhinoplasty. A new technology has been introduced that ensures minimum soft tissue damage and makes it easier to deal with boney structures and hard cartilage of the nose.
This groundbreaking procedure is called the Piezo technique; Piezo is a piece of equipment that easily cuts through bone but recognizes soft tissues, which causes it to stop cutting and vibrate in place, ensuring less bleeding and damage to the inside of the nose. Another benefit to this technique is a quicker recovery time as these tools can be much gentler during rhinoplasty.
Popular in Europe, it wasn’t until recently that Piezo equipment was utilized in the U.S. by Aesthetx’s own, Dr. Laurence Berkowitz. He first used the tool in 2010 for a chin enhancement surgery but was unable to implement it permanently as it was only available for purchase in the United States by dental surgeons. In 2015, a medical equipment company made the equipment for sale in the US, prompting Dr. Berkowitz to adopt the technique and focus on utilizing it for rhinoplasty surgeries.
Dr. Berkowitz was recently featured in an article in the Huffington Post detailing his innovative use of new technologies in rhinoplasty. To read more about the Piezo technique and the increased control and precision it offers rhinoplasty surgeons, visit: The “Nose Job” Takes a Giant Leap in New Technology.
Before and after of a revision rhinoplasty using power tools.
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