Dušica Jakovljević and her rhinoplasty complication: what she said

She then described what went wrong during recovery: “Pridržavala sam se svih preporuka tokom oporavka, ali se nos, nažalost, urušio na jednu stranu dok je zarastao. Upravo na mjestu gdje je bila devijacija srušio se prednji dio. Nije ništa strašno, ali me očekuje još jedna operacija koja bi trebalo sve da ispravi, jer se radi drugom metodom. Ako i to ne uspije, postoji mogućnost i treće.” (“I followed every instruction during recovery, but unfortunately my nose collapsed on one side while it was healing. Exactly where the deviation had been, the front part collapsed. It’s nothing serious, but another operation is coming, using a different method, to correct it. If that doesn’t work either, a third one is possible.”)

That is all we rely on here. Jakovljević did not give the year of her original operation or of the collapse, did not name the surgeon or clinic, and did not describe the exact surgical method used either time — so this article does not guess at any of it. Where the sections below explain methods and timelines, they describe rhinoplasty and its revision in general, not her personal treatment.

She did not describe it as a disaster, and she did not blame anyone by name — she simply explained, in a calm and factual way, that healing does not always go as planned and that a second procedure is sometimes part of the process.

That kind of openness is useful precisely because revision rhinoplasty is common enough to have its own name and its own pricing at most clinics, yet it rarely gets discussed outside medical forums. A well-known presenter describing it plainly, without drama, makes it easier for anyone with a similar problem to ask a surgeon the right questions instead of assuming nothing can be done.

When healing does not go as planned — as Jakovljević described — a revision (secondary) rhinoplasty is performed later, once the tissue has fully settled, usually with a different approach to the area that needs correcting.

City Medical Centre also performs septorhinoplasty (combined with septum correction) and reconstructive procedures, sometimes with a rib cartilage graft for complex cases. Which approach fits a particular nose is decided at an in-person consultation, not from someone else’s story.

Preparation typically includes a complete blood count, biochemistry, a coagulation panel, infection tests, an ECG and a chest X-ray, plus a sinus X-ray or CT scan; it is recommended to start about 21 days before surgery, stop blood-thinning medication under a doctor’s supervision, and cut out alcohol and smoking a week beforehand.

Internal splints usually come out around day 7, the external splint can stay up to 14 days, and stitches are removed around day 14. For about a month, exercise, sauna, swimming pools, hot baths and direct sun are best avoided; mild nasal congestion can continue for a month to six weeks, with the first visible improvement after two to three weeks. Surgeons generally judge the final shape only after 12 to 18 months, once all the tissue has settled — which is also why a correction, like the one Jakovljević is expecting, is usually planned only after that period, not immediately.

A personal coordinator stays in touch from the first enquiry through recovery. More details are on the rhinoplasty page.

To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Dušica Jakovljević or her treatment. Her account is simply a public, well-known example of someone speaking openly about a nose-surgery complication and the correction that followed.