*Surgery Diary - 12 - "Is it required to remove the pins after undergoing facial contouring surgery?"

[Doctor's Surgery Diary]

- 12 -

"Is it required to remove the pins after undergoing facial contouring surgery?"

Hello, I'm Kwon Soon Beom, chief surgeon of Arc Plastic Surgery.

These days, many people ask about pin removal
during a consultation of facial contouring surgery.

Today, I will talk about pin removal.

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source : Jeil-medical (https://www.medicalexpo.com/prod/jeil-medical-corporation/product-68935-769751.html)

"Pin removal", which refers to the removal of plates and screws used
for fixing fractured bone fragments, is not always medically necessary.

The "pin" used for facial contouring surgery for cosmetic purposes is the same as the one used for corrective surgery resulting from a car accident or facial deformities. 

Unlike pins used for fixation after limb surgery,

they are much smaller in size or thickness, so they don't need to be removed.

The reasons why patients decide to remove the pins are things quite realistic.

Their biggest complaint is the visibility of pins during dental x-rays.

They even dislike just being asked about facial contouring surgery regardless of treatment,
and I remember a patient living in a suburb has a shocking experience
where the dental staff gathered staring at her X-ray with interest.

pre-op of pin removal                        post-op of pin removal

***

Second, many people are currently opting for various procedures for skin and lifting,
and some devices can cause pain in the area where the fixed pin is located.

In particular, surprisingly many people experience pain in the pin area
used in cheekbone surgery when they get lifting treatment on their cheek.

Pin removed after actual facial contouring surgery

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Third, it is a little rare but some people experience paranasal sinusitis
after cheekbone reduction surgery.

Some people experience sinusitis repeatedly even after enough time has passed,
so some of them come after being recommended to remove pins
at the otolaryngology clinic for proper treatment.

If necessary, there were cases where the paranasal sinus cleaning was requested
at the same time surgery proceeded.

​

***

Lastly, for the chin area, sometimes people undergo a "tightness" feeling
or foreign body sensations at their chin.

Of course, some other people feel that way because their gums are affected
by the scar tissue in the incisional site,
so it should be distinguished by an in-person consultation with the doctor.

In addition to this, there may be various reasons for each individual,
but today I've talked about cases where you decide on a pin removal surgery,
focusing on the most common reasons during my treatment. 

***

If you have any inquiries about pin removal, please feel free to contact ARC Plastic Surgery! Thank you.