BREATHE FREELY

Slu Care Physician Group

by julia m. johnson

SLU CARE PATIENT RYLEE MOODY suffered with obstructed breathing for so many years that she had forgotten what it was like to inhale and exhale freely. After consulting with SLUCare facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Collin Chen, however, she realized her problem had a straightforward answer. Chen helped her understand how rhinoplasty surgery could repair her abnormal nasal structures and give her a more comfortable quality of life.

“When I met with Dr. Chen, he explained everything I needed to know,” Moody says. “I wanted to breathe better, and I had always wished to change the shape of my nose a bit as well.” Chen noted that both goals could be accomplished with one operation, and Moody scheduled an outpatient rhinoplasty at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. “Everything went smoothly the day of my surgery,” she says. “I checked in early and was heading home to recover by noon.” Nursing staff gave her post-procedure instructions, and she has had followup care with Chen.

“The results have met my expectations and beyond,” Moody says. “I had no idea how bad my situation was until the dressings came off after surgery and I took my first clear breath in years. My immediate thought was, ‘Wow, so this is what breathing is supposed to be like.’” She says she now feels healthier, sleeps much better at night and is very pleased with the aesthetic results of her surgery.

Chen says rhinoplasty can be performed in cases where the patient has a congenital or injury-related malformation of nasal structures, a desire for cosmetic improvement or both. “People with breathing issues may see their family physician and try medication for allergies, and if that doesn’t help, they can be referred to an otolaryngologist,” he says. “In situations where a less involved procedure like septoplasty won’t solve the problem, rhinoplasty may be needed. It has a high level of safety and effectiveness, and we work closely with insurance providers to see that