David Andrusia article about Rhinoplasty and Dr. Jay Calvert

The following article excerpt appeared on-line regarding rhinoplasty performed by Dr. Jay Calvert.  It was written in the context of where to find plastic surgeons who are delievering top results.  I am pleased that David found my work worthy to put it in his magazine.  Please visit the full article at :

http://www.edgelosangeles.com/index.php?ch=style&sc=grooming&sc3=&id=96419&pg=n 2

Bad cosmetic surgery.... gone good!
                by David Andrusia

Nose News is Good News

Internationally known for his reconstructive nose work, Dr. Jay Calvert (based in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach) devotes about half of his rhinoplasty practice to revising previous rhinoplasty.

"Up until the mid-80s, really, ’old school plastic surgery’ was deconstructive in nature," Dr. Calvert says. "A typical nose job consisted of rasping the hump, if there was one, taking out too much cartilage and, usually, breaking the bone.

"This was fine for an exceedingly large nose, but if smaller refinements were required, things often went badly," Dr. Calvert continues. "At the same time, there were several doctors, especially known in New York, who did the exact [same] nose on all patients, regardless of the shape of their face and the nose’s relation to other features. This led to comments such as, ’Oh, you’ve been to see Dr. X.’"

According to Dr. Calvert, "Beginning around the late ’80s, we saw a constructive approach to rhinoplasty, and this [was] pioneered in part by Dr. Jack Sheen, a prominent surgeon in Santa Barbara. Here, an analysis of the nose is done pre-operatively. In short, the ’smash [the] nose and make it smaller’ philosophy was gone, and most surgeons began taking a much more balanced approach to creating noses that fit an individual’s face in the most balanced possible way."

To refashion noses, Dr. Calvert uses diced cartilage in fascia (a supple material that lines every muscle in the human body), usually taking the needed tissue from the patient’s right ear. In this way, he is able to re-craft a nose a with natural appearance, avoiding the problems associated with earlier techniques, when too much cartilage was excised.

Taking between 2½ and 3½ hours, this delicate reconstructive surgery typically costs between $10,000 and $35,000, depending upon its complexity.

Rib Cartilage for Revision Rhinoplasty

In creating noses out of rib cartilage, it is necessary to counsel the patient on the post-operative care of the rib where the cartilage is taken and on the cartilage that is placed in their nose. Rib cartilage is versatile material, but there is a fair amount of skill involved in using it to create new airways and new noses. Dr. Calvert performs about 100 secondary rhinoplasty operations each year with approximately forty secondary rhinoplasty operations requiring rib cartilage grafts. It is a rare primary rhinoplasty that may require a rib cartilage graft, but it is needed, Dr. Calvert is skilled and capable of performing this powerful technique.

The rare risks associated with obtaining rib cartilage grafts are bleeding, infection at the harvest site, injury to the neurovascular bundle that runs underneath the rib, pneumothorax (air in the chest that causes a dropped lung), pain at the site, deformity at the site, and need for revisional surgery for any of these problems.

Along the same lines, Dr. Calvert has also developed an expertise in revising rib grafts used in secondary and primary rhinoplasty. These complex operations are performed in order to make the results of previous nasal surgery better despite the fact that the rib cartilage grafts were used previously.

For further information on Dr. Calvert's rhinoplasty operations with rib cartilage, please contact our office at (310) 777-8800.

New Technique Allows Plastic Surgeons to Build a Better Bridge and

Helps in Complex Reconstructions

Dr. Jay Calvert has developed a nasal-bridge operation that is being called the greatest advance in rhinoplasty surgery in the past 30 years. This technique treats problems with the bridge that have been difficult, if not impossible, to treat until now.

The Diced-Cartilage and Fascia Graft, known as the “DCF Nose Graft,” allows the surgeon to correct deformities, reduce surgical complications and fine-tune the results of their work as the body heals. While initial findings were originally published by Dr. Calvert in a peer-reviewed publication in 2004, he has subsequently refined the procedure allowing for optimum results.

Until this revolutionary grafting technique had been perfected, surgeons were hard-pressed to build out areas lacking substance, and had to wait until the post-operative swelling had subsided to find out if the surgery was a success (or would have to be re-done). The DCF Nose Graft allows the doctor to delicately mold the nose for several weeks after the operation.

Ideal for forming or restoring the bridge of the nose, the procedure could have been used, for example, to repair Michael Jackson’s compromised proboscis. “This technique could’ve been a key part of an operation to repair Michael Jackson's nose,” Dr. Calvert said, “since it allows the bridge to be re-contoured by adding new tissue to it, and the final shape to be controlled by molding it post-operatively.”

Plus, by using the patient’s own cartilage and tissue (from the rib) to form the graft, the chance of complications or rejection is significantly reduced. The new technique can be used in a wide variety of cases but is particularly useful in the correction of opposites - both overly scooped or “saddle” noses, as well as “aquiline” or “Roman” noses.
Previous attempts by others to develop similar procedures have failed, but after more than seven years of clinical research, Dr. Calvert has become an internationally recognized expert in this type of reconstructive nasal surgery.

At the 2008 American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) meeting in San Diego, the DC Nose Graft technique was recognized as “the most effective way to create a better bridge." This grafting method has not only revolutionized rhinoplasty, it lays the foundation for future advances in reconstruction and has inspired a new generation of rhinoplasty surgeons.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nose reshaping is the second most common plastic surgery procedure for women in the U.S. after breast augmentation; and the most popular among men. Dr. Calvert treats approximately 125 patients a year using the DC Nose Graft technique and performs about 200 rhinoplasty operations a year.

A plastic and general surgeon, Dr. Calvert’s research work in tissue engineering and bone regeneration elevated his reputation as an expert in nasal reconstruction and rhinoplasty revisions. Internationally sought after as a lecturer, he regularly shares his findings at surgical conferences, in peer-reviewed articles and by mentoring medical students, residents and surgeons in fellowship training. He is co-founder, along with Drs. Kami Parsa and Dr. Drew Ordon, of the non-profit Surgical Friends Foundation through which the three collaborate on extremely challenging and life-threatening reconstructive cases. He appears frequently on the Tyra Banks Show as a medical-esthetics expert and writes a blog about plastic surgery issues on his website, www.drcalvert.com.

An active staff member at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach and Long Beach Veterans Administration in Long Beach, Dr. Calvert earned his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York City and a Bachelor of Arts’ degree in molecular biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He completed the rigorous seven-year combined Plastic Surgery Training Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, one of the most highly regarded programs of its kind. He is an active member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Rhinoplasty Society, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Jay Calvert Capsulectomies

Dr. Calvert is well known for his excellence in primary rhinoplasty, secondary rhinoplasty, and other nasal reconstruction procedures. However, he also maintains a strong interest and top notch technical skills in reconstructive breast surgery including breast reduction surgery, capsulectomy surgery, and breast reconstruction for breast cancer. He performs these plastic surgery operations in his Beverly Hills plastic surgery office and in Orange County. Capsulectomies are performed when breast implants become hard due to scar tissue. The scar tissue needs to be removed and new breast implants need to be placed. Often times, insurance will pay for the capsulectomy portion of the procedure, but the patient is financially responsible for the palcement of new breast implants. Please call the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery office or the Newport Beach Plastic Surgery office for more information.

Breast reduction is also an operation that is generally covered by insurance. As a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, breast reduction surgery is a common operation performed in out certified surgery center. The insurance coverage for breast reduction depends on how many grams of tissue need to be removed from the breast to achieve the desired result. The range of 350 to 500 grams of breast tissue generally suffices for insurance coverage for this plastic surgery operation. Dr. Calvert, who is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Beverly Hills performs many breast reductions each year. Please call the Beverly Hills office or the Newport Beach office for details.