Two-case reports of plastic surgery treatment of rhinophyma

Abstract

Introduction. Rhinophyma is a disfiguring nasal deformity due to the proliferation of sebaceous glands and underlying connective tissue. It affects mainly men, aged between 50 and 70 years old. The disease is associated with negative stigma, low self-esteem, reduction in quality of life. The main reasons patients seek medical help are cosmetic problems and functional impairments. Surgery is indisputably the treatment of choice for rhinophyma. Cases report. We present the cases of two patients diagnosed with rhinophyma, who underwent surgical treatment in the University Hospital "St. George", Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The subtlety and innovation of the surgery was that the hypertrophied skin of the nose was dissected in layers, the sebaceous glands that produced pus were extirpated. The normal glands sought to be preserved, to nourish the newly formed dermis postoperatively. Both patients responded well to the procedure, without postoperative complications or wound infections. Conclusions. These cases highlight the importance of an accurate treatment of rhinophyma and the post-operative period, and the need for an appropriate follow up of patients until the complete recovery of the surgical wound and the formation of new skin.