Out-of-town Patients

Unfortunately our Medical Indemnity Insurer now excludes North American patients and it is a legal requirement in Australia that all patients unergoing surgery are covered by medical indemnity insurance. Therefore, we can no longer treat patients from USA or Canada.

Patients who live a long way from Sydney can communicate by regular mail and include photographs or by fax (+61 2 9905 0401). Our e-mail service was swamped by spam and has become inefficient.

In your communication please answer the following questions:

• How do you describe the shape of your nose? Is it similar to other family members? Is it bent to one side?
• Please describe any airway problems. Is one side more often blocked than the other. Do you breathe through the nose or mouth at night? Do you have a dry throat in the morning. Did you have tonsillitis as a child? Do you suffer from sinusitis now?
• Have you had any trauma to or operations on your nose? If so, how long ago and what was the result?
• Are you taking any medications? Do you take aspirin or other drugs that may promote bleeding?
• What is you occupation? Can you take time off work? Where do you live?
• What is your age and how tall are you?

After we receive the above information your consultations can be compressed in time: first consultation on Wednesday then second consultation on Thursday for photo-planning the possible changes to your nose. A profile template is made prior to surgery.Surgical fees are pre-paid.

Changes to Health Fund polices after 1 June 2014 (commencing with BUPA, MBP and AHM) prevent immediate scheduling of surgery. The funds now require a period of time so they can consider whether or not to refuse cover on the basis that the surgery is cosmetic. The gap between second consultation and operation dates should be at least 2 weeks. Supporting documentation such as a copy of the referring doctor's letter stating the presence of a blocked airway, sinusitis, previous nasal injury or other problems is to be sent to the fund. Health funds may classify operations as Non-Agreement Services if there is no supporting clinical details sent to them.

Surgery usually takes 2 hours and you wake with nose packed and eyes covered. Four hours later the eye pads are removed and cold compresses are applied. The Kaltostat pack is removed from inside your nose on Sunday and you may leave hospital if you have alternative accommodation. Of course, you may stay until Thursday when you will have an appointment at the Brookvale rooms in the afternoon. The external splint and the internal silicone splints are removed.

One week after surgery there may be some residual bruising of the lower lids but some patients have none. You may travel home by surface or air.

All travellers to Australia, with the exception of Australian and New Zealand citizens, need to have a valid visa.

There is accommodation near the Brookvale consulting rooms at the Travelodge Hotel. We recommend staying here until admission to hospital then recuperate in Manly after leaving hospital. The Manly Tourism site has an accommodation list to suit individual needs.

The temperature and time right now in Sydney is

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