Journal archive · Complications and management · 2026
Prevention and Treatment of Infection in Rhinoplasty
Paun S, Yip HM.
What this paper says
A review of infection after rhinoplasty, reported at 0.2% to 2% and higher in revisions and with grafts or implants, covering microbiology, risk factors, presentation, prevention and treatment algorithms.
Overview
Infection after rhinoplasty is uncommon but can destroy both the result and the nasal structure. Paun and Yip review the bacteria involved, who is at risk, how infection presents, and evidence-based prevention and treatment. No patient series is reported.
Sections of note
- Reported infection rates: 0.2% to 2%.
- Higher risk in revision cases and when grafts or implants are used.
- Prevention emphasis: patient selection, perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis, meticulous technique, careful graft choice.
- Practical algorithms for diagnosis and management are presented.
What it means for a patient
- Infection affects roughly 1 in 50 to 1 in 500 rhinoplasties, more often after revisions or with synthetic implants.
- Early signs (increasing redness, pain, discharge, fever) need prompt attention because grafts can be lost.
- Antibiotic use around surgery is a judgment based on risk, not automatic.
Why this paper matters
It is a current reference on a complication that surgeons often under-discuss. Limits: review, no data.
Terms
- Prophylaxis: preventive antibiotic treatment around the time of surgery.
- Alloplastic implant: a synthetic implant such as silicone, which carries higher infection risk than the patient's own cartilage.
- Graft: cartilage or other tissue placed to support or shape the nose.
- Cellulitis: spreading skin infection, one presentation of post-rhinoplasty infection.
Summary written by rhinoplasty.cc from the abstract, 2026-09-08; not medical advice. The authors' own abstract follows.
From the abstract
“Infection after rhinoplasty is uncommon but potentially devastating, threatening both functional and aesthetic outcomes. Reported rates range from 0.2% to 2%, with higher risk in revision cases and when grafts or implants are used. This article reviews the microbiology, risk factors, and clinical presentation of…”
Excerpt; the full abstract is on PubMed.
Citation
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What the rhinoplasty literature says on this paper's topic, cited line by line to PubMed.
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