Patient dissatisfaction following rhinoplasty: a 10-year experience in Iran

BACKGROUND: The nose is one of the most prominent parts of the face and plays a significant role in peoples’ self-satisfaction as well as quality of life. Rhinoplasty is considered as one of the most numerous and delicate cosmetic surgeries all around the world that can be performed for functional issues, esthetic issues, or both. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the dissatisfaction of patients who had undergone rhinoplasty surgery and inform the surgeons to improve the surgical techniques to prevent probable future complaints. METHOD: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to report various aspects of dissatisfaction of patients following rhinoplasty. All available files in the Fars Forensic Medicine Department between 2011 and 2020 were reviewed, and the required information was extracted. RESULTS: Out of 117 patients, 68.4% were females and 31.6% were males. Most of the patients were in the age range of 30–34 years. In terms of educational attainment, the highest frequency is associated with academically educated patients and the lowest with a diploma. The majority of cases filed for litigation less than 6 months after their rhinoplasty. The first rank among the factors of dissatisfaction with surgeries belonged to “respiratory problems” (36.8%) followed by “dissatisfaction with the general shape of the nose” (34.2%). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that middle-aged female patients may be more difficult to satisfy. In general, at younger ages, patients complain about esthetics, and with aging, most patients feel dissatisfied with nasal function.