Psychiatric and psychosocial characteristics of patients accepted for rhinoplasty.

Sixty-four patients undergoing rhinoplasty, consecutively admitted to and operated upon at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden, were studied with regard to their medical history, personality, and psychosocial and psychiatric characteristics. Forty patients with a history of nose trauma were compared with 24 patients without such history. The aim of the study was to describe and evaluate background factors, with special regard to psychosocial characteristics that might possibly affect the outcome of rhinoplastic surgery. The trauma patients predominantly described themselves as sthenic, outgoing, self-reliant, insensitive to the opinions of others, and as individuals with a low degree of self-criticism. Their consumption of alcohol was fairly high, and they were often exposed to the risk of accidents with bodily injuries. Their major motive for rhinoplasty was to improve nose breathing. The nontrauma patients were characterized by various symptoms of psychoneurosis and somatic signs of anxiety. Their sensitivity was related to their appearance, and the major motive for rhinoplasty was to become less socially inhibited and to develop their personalities. An inverted factor analysis generally demonstrated that the two groups of patients could be recognized when common response patterns in the preoperative interview formed the basis for the categorization. The psychopathological mechanisms and anticipated adaptation after rhinoplasty are discussed for the two groups of patients.