International patients FAQ: rhinoplasty in Brazil.
Everything a patient traveling from abroad usually wants to know before scheduling nasal surgery in Maringa: how the teleconsultation works, what paperwork you receive, how long you stay and how follow-up continues once you fly home.
International patients are seen regularly in Maringa, Brazil, and the team works in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The usual path is a teleconsultation first, tests done in your home city, arrival 1 to 2 days before surgery and a stay of about 7 days until the external cast comes off. Surgery takes place at a private hospital with 12 to 24 hours of admission. Care is private pay only, with documentation issued for insurance reimbursement requests. Dr. Guilherme Sella keeps follow-up at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, in person or online.
Will we understand each other?
Yes. Dr. Sella speaks Portuguese, English and Spanish, and the team answers messages in the same three languages. The surgical consultation lasts about one hour and is not rushed, because most of the decision happens there: history, internal nasal examination, standardized photographs, digital simulation, explanation of the technique and the postoperative calendar.
If you prefer, a written summary of the plan can be sent to you afterwards in English or Spanish. Interpreters are not usually needed, but you are welcome to bring one or to have a relative join the video call.
How does the first consultation work from abroad?
Most international patients start with a teleconsultation. You send recent photographs following the framing instructions provided by the team, previous operative reports if you have had nasal surgery before, and any imaging you already own.
During the video call the surgeon reviews your anatomy, your complaints and what is realistic. Digital simulation is used as a communication tool, not as a contract: it reflects roughly 60 to 70 percent of what the final nose looks like. A final in person examination is always done before surgery, including the inside of the nose, because breathing and shape are decided together. Patients who can travel earlier are seen in person at the clinic in Maringa.
More on how the trip is organized is available on the international patients page.
What tests and documents do I need?
Preoperative tests can be done in your own city and sent by email. The team tells you exactly which ones are required for your age and health history, and the anesthesiologist reviews them before you fly.
| Document | Who provides it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Preoperative lab tests and cardiac clearance when indicated | Your doctor at home | Anesthetic safety |
| Previous operative reports and imaging | You | Essential in revision cases |
| Surgical plan and estimate | Clinic, after the consultation | Defines technique, time and grafts |
| Operative report and discharge summary | Clinic, in English or Spanish on request | Travel, work leave and insurance |
| Invoice and receipts | Clinic | Used to request reimbursement from your insurer |
Brazil requires no special medical visa for elective surgery. Entry rules, passport validity and travel insurance are your responsibility and should be checked with the Brazilian consulate in your country.
How is payment handled?
The practice is private pay only. No health plan is accepted directly, in Brazil or abroad.
The estimate is released only after the consultation, because the number depends on the technique chosen, the expected operating time and whether cartilage grafts from the septum, ear or rib will be needed. The quote includes the surgical team, hospital, anesthesia and scheduled follow-up visits. Payment can be arranged in installments for some situations, and the team explains the accepted methods and the schedule before you book flights. No figures are discussed by message before a consultation, because quoting a nose without examining it is guesswork.
If your insurer reimburses out of network care, the clinic issues the documentation you need, including the functional portion of the operation such as septoplasty, turbinate surgery or endoscopic sinus surgery. Approval always depends on your insurer.
How long do I stay in Brazil?
Plan for about ten days in the country, with roughly seven of them after surgery.
- Arrival: 1 to 2 days before the date, for the in person consultation, final examination and anesthetic review.
- Surgery day: general anesthesia in most cases, 3 to 5 hours for primary rhinoplasty and longer for revisions, with 12 to 24 hours of hospital admission.
- Days 1 to 6: rest with the head elevated 30 degrees, cold compresses, saline irrigation, no blowing the nose. Light bleeding for 48 to 72 hours and periorbital bruising for up to about 15 days are expected.
- Around day 7: the external aquaplast cast is removed, taping continues for another week, and flying is released.
Surgery is performed at a private hospital in Maringa with adult and neonatal intensive care and 24 hour intensivists. Smaller procedures under local anesthesia, such as upper blepharoplasty or otoplasty, may be done at the clinic.
A companion is strongly recommended for the first week. The team suggests hotels close to the clinic. Maringa has an airport with direct flights from Sao Paulo and Curitiba, and is also reachable by road from inland Sao Paulo state, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay.
What happens after I fly home?
Follow-up is scheduled at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, in person or by video, whichever is possible for you. Between visits you send photographs following the same standardized framing, which allows the surgeon to compare swelling and shape over time.
Practical rules you take home: no glasses resting on the nose for 4 weeks, exercise after 15 days, sun, beach and pool only after one month, sunscreen SPF 30 for three months. Numbness of the upper lip and front teeth can last up to three months. The definitive result appears between 6 and 12 months, and up to 18 months in thick skin or revision cases.
What is the revision policy?
Honesty first: published series report revision rates of roughly 5 to 15 percent in rhinoplasty overall, and no surgeon can promise a figure of zero. Dorsal preservation and ultrasonic techniques aim at more predictable dorsum behavior, which is the subject of the papers the surgeon has published on the topic, but every nose heals in its own way.
No revision is ever assessed before 12 months, because swelling, scar maturation and cartilage memory are still changing. If a refinement is indicated after that, the case is discussed openly, the plan is explained and the conditions are presented in writing. Complex secondary cases are a routine part of the practice, and you can read more on the revision rhinoplasty page and on dorsal preservation.
Why do patients travel to Brazil for this?
Brazil has a long surgical tradition in facial plastic surgery and is consistently among the countries with the highest volume of aesthetic procedures worldwide according to ISAPS surveys. Medical practice is regulated by the Federal Council of Medicine, and a specialist title can be checked publicly on the state medical board website. Dr. Sella holds CRM-PR 33.018 and RQE 17.984, a doctorate from HCFMRP-USP and European Board certification in facial plastic surgery. His background is detailed on his profile page.
Cost in Brazil tends to be lower than in the United States or Europe because of fee structure, hospital costs and exchange rates. That should never be the only reason to choose a surgeon.
When to contact Dr. Sella's team
If you are considering traveling for nasal surgery, the next step is a teleconsultation, not a quote by message. Indication, risks and the surgical plan are individual and defined only after examination. Write to the team through the contact page in Portuguese, English or Spanish and ask for the photo instructions.
Otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon · CRM-PR 33.018 · RQE 17.984. PhD from FMRP-USP, founder of the Sella Learning Center. Updated on 2026-10-15.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special visa to have surgery in Brazil?
No specific medical visa is required for elective surgery. Standard entry rules apply according to your nationality, so check passport validity and visa requirements with the Brazilian consulate in your country before booking.
Can the clinic give me a price by WhatsApp before the consultation?
No. The estimate depends on the technique, expected operating time and whether cartilage grafts are needed, so it is released only after a consultation with examination.
Will my health insurance cover the surgery?
Care is private pay only and no plan is accepted directly. The clinic issues operative reports, invoices and receipts, including for the functional portion, so you can request reimbursement from your insurer if your policy allows it.
When can I fly home after rhinoplasty?
Flying is usually released after the external cast is removed, around day seven. Most international patients plan about ten days in Brazil in total.
How are follow-up visits done if I live abroad?
Follow-up is scheduled at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and can be done in person or by video call, with standardized photographs sent between appointments.
Is a companion necessary?
A companion is strongly recommended for the first week, especially for the hospital admission, the trip back to the hotel and the first dressing changes.
How many days should I plan to stay in Brazil for rhinoplasty?
Most international patients arrive one to two days before surgery and stay around seven days in total, until the external cast is removed and the first dressing change is done. Revision cases or procedures combined with facial surgery may require a slightly longer stay. The team confirms your calendar after the consultation, since the plan depends on the technique chosen for your nose.
Where is the surgery performed and how long do I stay in hospital?
Rhinoplasty is performed at Saine Health Complex in Maringa, a private hospital with eleven operating rooms, adult and neonatal intensive care and intensivists available around the clock. Admission usually lasts twelve to twenty four hours, so you spend one night under observation before returning to your hotel. Procedures done under local anesthesia, such as upper blepharoplasty or otoplasty, can take place at the clinic.
How do I get to Maringa from abroad?
Maringa has its own airport, MGF, with direct flights from Sao Paulo, both Guarulhos and Congonhas, and from Curitiba, so most international patients connect through Sao Paulo. The city is also reachable by road from inland Sao Paulo state, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay. The team can suggest accommodation close to the clinic, which has partner parking next door.
Can I have the consultation and surgery on the same trip?
Yes, and that is the usual arrangement for patients coming from abroad. The teleconsultation defines the plan in advance, and the in person examination, including the inside of the nose, is done shortly before the operation to confirm everything. If the examination shows something different from what the photographs suggested, the plan is discussed again with you before any surgery is scheduled.
Book a consultation with Dr. Guilherme Sella
In person in Maringá, Brazil, or by video consultation. English-speaking team.