Frontal Sinus Displacement of Silicone Implant After Previous Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty, a historic surgical procedure for facial esthetics, has been actively performed in Asia. The use of autologous tissues or artificial materials, such as silicone, Gore-Tex, and Medpore, is common in achieving cosmetic improvements. However, artificial material poses risks of inflammation and foreign body reactions, leading to complications like infection and necessitating material removal and antibiotic treatment. According to previous reports, various clinical aspects appear across inflammation, skin necrosis, and, in severe cases, systemic symptoms caused by implants. In this case study, the goal is to share a rare case of silicone implant migration into the frontal sinus after augmentation rhinoplasty. A 38-year-old female patient who had previously undergone rhinoplasty surgery visited the outpatient clinic complaining of headaches and a deviated nose. On computed tomography, the silicone implant moved upward, penetrating the nasoethmoid bone and invading the frontal sinus. Fortunately, there was no intracranial invasion. The authors planned the implant removal and performed the complete implant removal with capsulectomy. The patient has been undergoing follow-up without any complications after surgery. Augmentation rhinoplasty with implants, while common, carries long-term risks. This case highlights the severity of complications, emphasizing infection and migration into the frontal sinus and, in extreme cases, the brain cavity. Therefore, surgeons must continually refine operation techniques to minimize iatrogenic causes and consider modifying surgical procedures to prevent potential complications.