APS Aesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2019

The Importance of Multiple, Different Rhinoplasty Consultations in Patient Selection

Erkan ZA, Erkan SO.

What this paper says

Comparing 50 patients who consulted 3 surgeons against 50 who consulted 4 or more, satisfaction 6 months after surgery was 82 percent in the first group and 68.92 percent in the second.

Overview

Patients considering rhinoplasty often see several surgeons before deciding. This study asked whether the number of consultations relates to how satisfied they are afterward, using a validated satisfaction questionnaire before surgery and at 6 months.

Sections of note

Patients who had septorhinoplasty with the authors over the previous 3 years were examined.
Group 1: patients who visited 3 different physicians including the authors before surgery.
Group 2: patients who visited 4 or more physicians.
50 patients were randomized into each group.
The Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation was completed twice, before surgery and at 6 months after.
Both preoperative and postoperative ROE values were significantly lower in group 2, p below 0.001.
Postoperative ROE was 82 percent in group 1 versus 68.92 percent in group 2. Level of evidence IV.

What it means for a patient

Patients who had seen four or more surgeons were less satisfied both before and after surgery.
Because they started lower as well as ending lower, the pattern may reflect who seeks many opinions rather than an effect of the consultations themselves.
The authors recommend that patients who visit many surgeons be evaluated more carefully, including psychologically.
Limits: 100 patients, one practice, self-reported satisfaction, 6 months of follow-up, and a categorical split at 4 consultations that is not independently justified.

Why this paper matters

Identifying which patients are at risk of dissatisfaction is one of the hardest parts of rhinoplasty consultation, and a countable behavior would be a practical flag. This proposes consultation count as one. Association is not causation here, and the group difference existed before surgery.

Terms

Septorhinoplasty: Combined reshaping of the nose and correction of the septum.
Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation: A validated questionnaire scoring satisfaction with the nose.
Patient selection: Deciding which patients are appropriate candidates for surgery.
Preoperative evaluation: Assessment carried out before surgery.
Level of evidence IV: A ranking indicating a case series or comparable design.

Summary written by rhinoplasty.cc from the abstract, 2026-09-09; not medical advice. The authors' own abstract follows.

From the abstract

“We aimed to investigate the relationship between the number of visits to different physicians and postoperative satisfaction in patients undergoing primary septorhinoplasty by using the ROE survey. Methods: Patients for whom we performed septorhinoplasty in the last 3 years were examined. Patients who visited 3…”

Excerpt; the full abstract is on PubMed.