Revision Rhinoplasty

Your policy may pay for medically necessary parts of the procedure. Insurance does not cover surgery to change the cosmetic appearance of the nose. Dr. Sandel is an out-of-network provider. If your insurance company offers you out-of-network benefits, and you have a deviated septum, nasal valve collapse, or a broken nose — any of which with breathing issues not improved by medical treatments — then you could be reimbursed for that portion of the procedure. We will give you the medical notes, procedure codes, and diagnostic codes to help with this process.

ASPS does not report revision rhinoplasty separately: the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ 2023 average surgeon/physician fee for rhinoplasty overall was $7,637, and that is the surgeon’s or physician’s fee alone, before anesthesia, the operating facility and other costs. The few practices in Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia that publish an all-in revision price, covering the surgeon, operating room and anesthesia, list $16,000 to $17,000, and up to $21,000 for a complex revision. Here the fee is quoted individually, in writing, after your consultation, because revision surgery varies more than a first operation. It is one figure covering the practice fee, our accredited on-site surgery center and anesthesia. We own West Annapolis Surgery Center, accredited since 2016, and set its fee ourselves without marking it up for profit, so there is no hospital or outside surgery-center charge. We keep fees as low as possible while covering registered-nurse care and accredited standards.

Revision rhinoplasty is considered once the nose has fully healed from the previous surgery. Exactly how long that takes depends on your healing and the details of your previous surgery, which Dr. Sandel reviews at the consultation, including whether the first operation was open or closed and how long ago it was performed.

Yes. Revision rhinoplasty can help improve breathing when nasal structure or prior surgery has contributed to obstruction or collapse. Depending on your needs, it may correct collapse or irregularity left by the prior surgery or rebuild structure where support was removed, while protecting or improving the shape of the nose.

Yes. Revision rhinoplasty is generally more complex than a primary rhinoplasty because it must work around scar tissue, altered anatomy, and changes in nasal support from the first surgery. That is why many patients seek out a surgeon with focused experience in revision nose surgery.

Dr. Sandel has performed more than 3,500 rhinoplasty procedures, including primary and revision rhinoplasty, nasal reconstruction and functional nasal surgery to improve breathing. He has been in private practice since 2007, and revision cases come to him on referral from other surgeons.

Recovery after revision rhinoplasty follows the same course as a first rhinoplasty, but swelling can take longer to resolve and the nose takes a little longer to look defined. Where a splint is used it stays on for about the first week, and patients look great at one week after the splint comes off. Expect stuffiness for several weeks; final definition takes time, especially in the nasal tip, where swelling lasts the longest.

A natural result is the goal of revision rhinoplasty: a nose that looks softer, more symmetrical and less distracting, balanced with your face rather than overdone. Dr. Sandel aims to restore that balance while protecting or improving nasal function.

Yes. Revision rhinoplasty is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, although the exact surgical plan depends on the complexity of your case.

Revision rhinoplasty with Dr. Sandel usually takes up to about two hours, and sometimes longer, depending on the problem being corrected.

Some revision rhinoplasty patients need cartilage grafting to add support, depending on collapse, contour irregularity, or weakness from prior surgery. Whether you do is determined during the consultation and examination.