Rhinoplasty in Brazil for patients from the United States.

Why patients in the United States consider surgery in Brazil

Brazil has one of the strongest plastic surgery traditions in the world, shaped by the school of Ivo Pitanguy, and appears among the countries with the highest volume of aesthetic procedures according to ISAPS surveys. That volume creates something practical for a patient: surgeons who operate frequently, hospitals built around elective surgery, and nursing teams used to post-operative care.

Medicine in Brazil is regulated by the Conselho Federal de Medicina. Every doctor holds a CRM registration number, and every recognized specialty title is linked to an RQE number that can be checked online. This matters more than marketing language when you are evaluating a surgeon from four or five thousand miles away.

Cost structure is usually part of the decision. Surgical fees, hospital charges and anesthesia in Brazil tend to be lower than in the United States, and the exchange rate works in favor of people earning in dollars, euros or pounds. No prices are quoted online or by message. A full estimate is given only after the consultation, because it depends on the technique, surgical time and whether cartilage grafts are needed.

How to verify a Brazilian surgeon before you book

Use objective items, not adjectives. For Dr. Sella, these are the verifiable ones:

• CRM-PR 33.018 and RQE 17.984, specialist title in Otolaryngology issued by ABORL-CCF in 2014
• Residency at Hospital das Clínicas, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo
• Direct doctorate in Morphophysiology of Facial Structures at HCFMRP-USP, completed in 2018
• Fellowship in structural rhinoplasty in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia
• Certification by the European Board in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Six indexed papers on PubMed, including work on dorsal preservation rhinoplasty in Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America
• Invited faculty in more than ten countries and director of the Sella Learning Center, which runs a yearly fellowship and hands-on courses for surgeons

More detail on training and publications is on the surgeon's page. A surgeon who teaches other surgeons leaves a public trail you can read before committing to a flight.

Step one: the video consultation across time zones

Everything starts online. Maringá runs on Brasília time, roughly one to two hours ahead of New York and Miami, two to three ahead of Houston and four to five ahead of Los Angeles, depending on daylight saving. Appointments are scheduled so you are not calling at 3 a.m.

The consultation lasts about an hour. It includes your history, review of standardized photographs, discussion of what bothers you functionally and aesthetically, digital simulation of possible outcomes, and an explanation of the technique being considered, whether dorsal preservation, ultrasonic bone work, structural grafting or a revision plan. The simulation is a communication tool with roughly 60 to 70 percent similarity to the final result, never a contract.

Because Dr. Sella is an otolaryngologist, breathing is part of the same conversation. Septum, turbinates and nasal valves are assessed together with shape. The internal nasal exam and, when indicated, high frequency dermatologic ultrasound of the nose are performed in person in Maringá before surgery.

Tests, clearance and documents prepared at home

You do not travel to run laboratory tests. The team sends a list of pre-operative exams and, depending on your age and medical history, cardiac clearance. All of it can be done in your own city with your own physician. Reports in English are reviewed before your trip, and the clinic issues documentation in English or Spanish when requested, including letters for insurance reimbursement requests related to the functional part of the surgery such as septoplasty, turbinoplasty or endoscopic sinus surgery. Practice is private only, with no Brazilian insurance contracts.

Getting from the United States to Maringá

Two legs, usually one night of travel.

Leg	Typical route	Approximate time
International	Miami, New York, Houston, Los Angeles or Atlanta to São Paulo Guarulhos	About 9 hours from Miami or New York, longer from the West Coast
Domestic	Guarulhos or Congonhas to Maringá airport, code MGF	Around 1 hour 20 minutes
Alternative	Curitiba to Maringá	Short domestic hop

Maringá also has road access from inland São Paulo state, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay. Plan to arrive one to two days before surgery to rest, complete the in-person exam and sign consents without rushing. A companion is recommended for the first week. The team can suggest hotels near the clinic on Avenida Cidade de Leiria, in Zona 01. Logistics for travelers are detailed on the international patients page.

Your 7 to 10 days in Maringá, day by day

Day	What happens
Day 0 or 1	Arrival, rest, in-person consultation, internal nasal exam, nasal ultrasound when indicated, photographs, final planning
Day 2	Surgery under general anesthesia, usually 3 to 5 hours, longer for revisions. Admission of 12 to 24 hours at Saine Health Complex
Day 3	Discharge to your hotel, elevated headrest at 30 degrees, cold compresses, saline irrigation
Days 3 to 6	Swelling and periorbital bruising peak and start to fade. Short walks allowed. Light bleeding in the first 48 to 72 hours is expected
Day 7	Removal of the external aquaplast cast, taping applied for another week, silicone internal splint removed around day 10 when used
Days 7 to 10	Final in-person review, written home care plan, clearance to fly

Saine Health Complex is a boutique hospital in Maringá with 7,500 square meters, eleven operating rooms, adult and neonatal ICU and intensivists on site at all hours. Most patients have no nasal packing.

Follow-up, recovery rules and paperwork after you fly home

Flying is released after the cast comes off, which is why the usual stay is seven to ten days rather than three. Once home, the written plan continues: no glasses resting on the nose for four weeks, exercise after fifteen days, sun, beach and pool only after one month, SPF 30 for three months, never blow your nose, keep saline irrigation. Numbness of the upper lip and front teeth can last up to three months.

Follow-up visits are scheduled at one, three, six and twelve months, in person or by video, with standardized photographs you take at home. The definitive result appears between six and twelve months, sometimes up to eighteen months in thick skin or revision cases. Published revision rates in the rhinoplasty literature sit between 5 and 15 percent, and any discussion of a touch-up only happens after twelve months.

The surgical estimate covers surgical team, hospital, anesthesia and scheduled follow-up, and can be paid in installments. It is delivered after the consultation, never before. More on technique options is available on the main rhinoplasty page.

When to contact Dr. Sella

If you live in the United States and are weighing surgery abroad, the useful first step is a video consultation, not a quote. Bring your photographs, your breathing complaints, any previous operative reports and your calendar. Indication, risks and the surgical plan are individual and defined only in consultation. The team speaks Portuguese, English and Spanish and can be reached through the contact page.