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Scientific Oral Presentations

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Session: Scientific Oral Presentation 2 - Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery

Utility and Safety of Artificial Intelligence for Patient-Initiated Contact After Functional Rhinoplasty

Monday, October 13, 2025
10:18 AM - 10:24 AM EDT
Location: 137
Introduction: Postoperative patient calls are common after functional rhinoplasty and contribute notably to staff workload. Prompt, appropriate responses are essential for positive outcomes and satisfaction. Artificial intelligence language models (chatbots), widely available and instantly responsive, have potential to improve this process. This study investigates the volume and content of calls at a single institution and evaluates four chatbots’ ability to provide accurate, intelligible, and safe responses.

Methods: A single-institution, retrospective review was conducted for patients who underwent functional rhinoplasty between 2017-2023. Calls prior to first follow-up were analyzed, and 48 representative prompts were generated, including six “Red Flag Questions” indicating potential complications. Prompts were input into four chatbots (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini). Experts assessed responses using a Likert-style Global Quality Scale (GQS) and a binary Expert Opinion Question (EOQ; “Would you feel comfortable if your patient received this response rather than speaking with your staff?”). Flesch-Kincaid (FK) Grade Levels measured readability. Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests compared performance.

Results: Of 378 patients, 137 (36%) initiated contact, with 181 total calls. Common concerns included pain (19%) and medication questions (14%). Seventy-three percent (n=132) received routine counseling, with no complications at first follow-up. ChatGPT produced “Good” or “Excellent” responses 98% of the time, significantly outperforming the next-best chatbot (Perplexity, 79%; p=0.0039). Experts unanimously approved ChatGPT responses (mean EOQ=1) 96% of the time, and 100% for Red Flag Questions. Perplexity was the most readable (median FK 13.2), and ChatGPT the least (16.8; p< 0.0001).

Conclusions: Patient calls are common after functional rhinoplasty. Most can be managed with reassurance. Chatbots, especially ChatGPT, provide reliable responses, which may improve satisfaction and reduce workload without compromising safety. Future development should focus on readability.

    Presenting Author(s)

  • WP

    William J. Palmer, MD

    Resident Physician
    Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - Department of Otolaryngology
    Philadelphia, PA, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • DM

    Dana Michlin, BS

    Thomas Jefferson University, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Leonard E. Estephan, MD

    Otolaryngology Resident
    Thomas Jefferson University
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Jason Tasoulas, MD

    Post-Doc Research Fellow, Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery
    Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • KA

    Khashayar Arianpour, MD

    Cleveland Clinic Foundation, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Harleen K. Sethi, DO

    Fellow
    Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
    Philadelphia, PA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Daniel J. Campbell, MD

    Resident Physician
    Thomas Jefferson University
    Philadelphia, PA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • HK

    Howard D. Krein, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
    Philadelphia, PA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Ryan N. Heffelfinger, MD

    Professor, Department of OTO-HNS
    Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
    Philadelphia, PA, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.