The injuries affected Andrews self-esteem, making him feel anxious whenever he stepped outside of his home.
Before my nose reconstruction, I lost a lot of myself.
People would stare or ask me what happened.
It was extremely uncomfortable, the 37-year-old said.
Finding the right medical professional to conduct the complex operation took him 18 months.
Choosing the best doctor really mattered to me.
I believed there had to be a better option,he recalled.
Eventually, he found PlasticSurgeonPatrick Byrne through an Internet search.
He gave me hope that I would have an excellent result with no lasting noticeable deformities.
Doctorssharedthat Andrews nose was reconstructed in three layers.
The middle structural layer is composed of cartilage and bone.
Lastly, the third external layer also uses skin taken from the forehead.
A total nasal reconstruction is a difficult plastic surgery endeavor.
But, I was confident we could create a new nose for Andrew.
The 37-year-old sports enthusiast was faced with another unexpected challenge when he suffered postoperative complications due to an infection.
Andrew is an inspiration.
He managed adversity and handled setbacks all with consistent grace.
Ultimately, we had to complete a second forehead flap to achieve an acceptable outcome.
Rhinoplastiescan change bone, cartilage, skin, or all three.
Thesurgerymay be carried out to change the appearance of the nose, improve breathing, or both.
Dr. Byrne and his team can truly make miracles happen.
I am so, so grateful for all that theyve done for me, Andrew shared.