Surgeries are revised for several reasons. The most common is that the surgery was performed at some time in the past and new developments have come up that allow the result to be improved.
Occasionally patients are dissatisfied with a surgery that has been performed and are contemplating redoing that surgery. At times, doctors encounter unexpected complications and patients are encouraged, whenever possible, to work things out with their original doctor.
There are techniques with revisional surgery that are different than those for the initial surgery. For example, revising facelifts often involves restructuring the deep tissues, repairing the deep layer of the face, reconstructing the platysma muscle and the SMAS, and reducing or eliminating signs of surgery around the ears and hairlines. If surgery is done the same way the second time, the problems will be compounded, not reduced. That is where revisional techniques come into play.
Revisional nasal surgery often involves replacing missing segments of tissues, either with cartilage or occasionally with rib grafts.
Revisional lower eyelid surgery is especially difficult and involves cheek elevation procedures, lower eyelid suspension and shortening techniques; occasional chondromucosal grafting procedures and patience!
In almost all cases, laser therapy assists in achieving the best results in scar removal. Always, with revisional surgery, patients are carefully counseled as to the possible risks and benefits of their procedures.
