Friday, December 4, 2009
Rhinoplasty Part #3- Assessing The Face
Assessing the Face
When examining the patient, I look at the entire face to determine
what changes are needed to create the most aesthetically pleasing
result. I take into account the patient’s ethnic background, bony
and cartilaginous anatomy, skin thickness, general health status,
and age. Female patients should be at least 15 to 16 years old
and males should be 16 to17 years old—ages at which the vast
majority of nasal growth has been completed. Nasal surgery done
prior to the completion of nasal growth may result in developmental
abnormalities of the nose. At the consultation I may also suggest
that the patient undergo another procedure in combination with
the rhinoplasty to maximize facial harmony and balance. The
most common procedure done in combination with rhinoplasty
is chin augmentation but cheek augmentation and chin reduction
may also be done in combination with rhinoplasty.
Surgery location
The rest of my consultation includes a discussion of the different
locations at which I perform surgery. These locations include
hospital operating rooms, surgicenters, and my office operating
rooms. Patients should be sure that anesthesia given in an office
operating room is provided by a licensed anesthesiologist or
nurse anesthetist. Also, all of the same monitoring equipment
present in a hospital operating room, such as EKG machines
and blood-oxygen level monitors, should be in the office for
your surgery. Patients are usually given local anesthesia with
sedation to place them in a comfortable drowsy state, but they
remain awake. The other option is general anesthesia where
the patient goes to sleep fully. The first option is safer and has
less postoperative nausea and a quicker recovery.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Recent Patient Testimonial
I ended up at Dr. Pontell's office because my allergist told me I needed nose surgery to straighten my nose as I could not breathe at all! She wanted to perform the surgery but I wanted a facial plastic surgery specialist. Dr. Pontell is calm and not an ego maniac like so many plastic surgeons. He is confident yet not in your face...just the tyoe of doctor I was looking for.
Best of all...I can breathe now and my nose is much more attractive looking. Thank you doctor Pontell and your professional and efficient staff!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Introduction To Rhinoplasty
The Consultation
Anyone considering rhinoplasty should see a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, otolaryngologist/head and neck surgeon (ENT), or general plastic surgeon for a consultation. The patient should seek out a surgeon who has extensive training and experience with both the cosmetic and functional aspects of this operation. It is advisable to ask to see a portfolio of before-and-after photographs of other rhinoplasties the surgeon has performed.
The consultation is an opportunity for me to listen to patients’ goals, to examine them, and to come up with a surgical plan. I examine the external and internal nose to determine what changes are possible. It is very helpful for patients to be able to clearly express what they do not like about their noses so I can determine if their goals are realistic. I also attempt to explore exactly what a patient’s motivation is for wanting nasal surgery. It is important to make sure that the patient has carefully thought about the decision to have surgery and that the desire is not based on a whim, to please someone else, or because of a recent life-changing event, such as a divorce.
During the consultation, I use computer imaging to show patients the changes that are possible. Computer imaging is a powerful tool that is useful in establishing clear communication between the patient and myself as to what the surgical goal should be. It is important to note, however, that the computer-simulated photographs are only an estimation of the desired outcome. Although the actual result of surgery usually closely approximates the computer-simulated images, no surgeon can guarantee to what extent a complete match will occur.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Testimonial For Dr Pontell
Stephanie said...I came to Dr. Pontell for a Facelift and Eyelid procedures this past spring and I am now past the healing stage. The entire experience has been very positive. Dr. Pontell is a highly skilled surgeon who inspires trust from the beginning. I was impressed by his quiet self-assurance and professionalism. It was obvius to me that he knew exactly what he was doing, due to the consistently excellent results from pictures of his past surgeries, his extensive experience and impressive credentials. His specializing in Facial Surgery attests to the fact that he truly cares about the results of his work and the well-being of his patients. I was also impressed with his ethical and down to earth approach to Aesthetic Enhancement, unlike other doctors I had spoken with. Dr. Pontell did not try to convince me to have more surgery than I needed. He was generous in answering any questions and called to make sure I was alright after the surgery. As a result, I am happy with what I see in the mirror now. I feel more attractive and look like a better version of myself! I would recommend Dr. Pontell (and his wonderful office staff, Kay and Desiree) to ANYONE who is thinking about having Facial Plastic Surgery.
Staphanie T.
Introduction To Rhinoplasty in Media & Philadelphia, PA
Part 1 Rhinoplasty, commonly referred to as a nose job, is any surgery done to change the shape of the nose. Rhinoplasty may be done for purely cosmetic reasons, for purely functional reasons such as to improve nasal breathing, or a combination of the two. Because the nose has a very prominent central location on the face, the changes made with rhinoplasty can make a dramatic difference in a person’s appearance and lead to great increases in self-esteem and self-confidence. Cosmetic rhinoplasty can change an almost infinite number of variations in nasal shapes. The goal of the surgery is to give an improved nasal contour that is in harmony with the rest of the face, while maintaining or improving nasal breathing. Most often, rhinoplasty is done to make a large nose smaller or a wide nose narrower, but occasionally the opposite is true |
