[Nasal involvement in atrophic polychondritis. A case report]

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology and Immunology
• Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by progressive cartilage destruction.
• Saddle nose deformity, a consequence of nasal cartilage inflammation in RP, significantly impacts patient quality of life.
• Surgical intervention for RP-related nasal deformities is often complex due to the underlying inflammatory process.

Observation:

• A case report details a 29-year-old female patient with a one-year history of saddle nose deformity attributed to relapsing polychondritis.
• The patient's condition remained stable, prompting consideration for surgical correction after a year of observation.
• Rhinoplasty was performed, aiming to reconstruct the nasal structure affected by the inflammatory disease.

Findings:

• The chosen surgical approach involved a calvarial bone graft for nasal reconstruction.
• Post-operative assessment at 18 months indicated a favorable outcome following the rhinoplasty procedure.
• The study emphasizes a preference for calvarial bone grafts in managing RP-induced saddle nose deformities.

Implications:

• This case highlights the potential efficacy of rhinoplasty with autologous bone grafting for correcting saddle nose in relapsing polychondritis.
• The findings suggest that surgical intervention, particularly with calvarial bone grafts, should be considered in stable phases of the disease.
• Further research into optimal surgical timing and graft materials for relapsing polychondritis nasal reconstruction is warranted.