I am 38 years old and had a gortex implant placed in my nose about 6 years ago. Recently, a red color has appeared on the spot where the implant was placed. What antibiotics should I use to treat this? Does this mean I should potentially have the implant removed?

There is a possibility that the implant is infected. It is important to use a broad spectrum antibiotic. You may need to have the implant removed if it is infected. I do not typically use gortex implants on the nose because of the risk of infection, extrusion of the implant, and potential loss of overlying skin. If a patient would benefit from augmentation with grafts, I use the patient’s own cartilage to create these grafts. I would obtain the cartilage from either one of the following sources: nasal septum, ear, or rib.