Medicine and surgery are evolving. What seemed impossible a few years ago is now part of standard practice in cosmetic surgery.
Since the appearance of image modification software, there has been an integration in the field of rhinoplasty and nowadays a large majority of plastic surgeons who perform rhinoplasty regularly use image processing software during their consultation.
In this blog we refer to two authors among many who have studied the role of computer simulation prior to performing rhinoplasty.
Mehta U. and associates in their article entitled Accuracy of preoperative computer imaging in rhinoplasty (Accuracy of pre-operative computer-preprocessed images in rhinoplasty) is about a study that looked at how accurate computer-generated images can be for predict results of a nose surgery (rhinoplasty). The objective of the study was to determine whether the computer-generated images created before surgery matched the actual results after surgery.
The study included 38 patients who underwent rhinoplasty, either their first surgery or revision surgery (second or successive interventions). After six months, postoperative photographs of the patients were compared with preoperative digital simulations.
Overall, the expert panel found that the simulated pre-operative rhinoplasty images had a moderate level of accuracy.
Measurements of the top of the nose were the most accurate while those referring to the supraspinatus region had the lowest accuracy rating. Computer imaging accuracy was similar for both primary rhinoplasties (those performed for the first time) and revision surgeries (those performed for the second or more times).
More difficult rhinoplasties obtained lower accuracy scores. The study also found that patients satisfied with the surgery had higher accuracy scores, and most patients found the computer-simulated images extremely helpful.
The study demonstrated that computer-simulated imaging prior to rhinoplasty is a useful tool.
In another Cingi article. CC and associates, entitled “Preoperative computer imaging before augmentation rhinoplasty”.
The authors studied the use of computer imaging prior to nose surgery (specifically, augmentation rhinoplasty). The researchers wanted to test whether using a program called Adobe PhotoShop, which has a feature called “liquefy,” could help patients visualize the possible results of their surgery.
The study included 100 patients scheduled to undergo augmentation rhinoplasty. The researchers used a step-by-step approach to computer imaging, which involved adjusting different aspects of the nose, such as the dorsum (top of the nose), length, tip projection and overall shape. These adjustments were made using Adobe PhotoShop’smorphingtechnology.
After running the computer simulations, patients were able to see different options of what their noses might look like after surgery. This helped them make decisions about the specific changes they wanted.
In 95% of the cases, the final results of the surgery matched the preoperative simulation agreed upon by the patients.
Rhinoplasty, which is one of the most demanding surgeries, requires all the means currently available to obtain the best results either by ultrasonic rhinoplasty technique, as preservation rhinoplasty or hybrid rhinoplasty.
If you are thinking of undergoing a rhinoplasty in Mallorca, we are at your disposal to answer any questions you may have.