Supratip deformity: a closer look

Supratip deformity, a hallmark of a poorly executed rhinoplasty or an inauspicious healing, continues to plague the novice often and the experts on occasion. A clinical and histopathologic study was conducted to search for the surgical causes of this deformity and its histologic presentation. An organized, logical management program was then developed. Clinically, supratip fullness was observed in both primary (26 of 298 patients; 9 percent) and secondary (40 of 112 patients; 36 percent) rhinoplasty candidates. In primary patients, the deformity was the result of inadequate tip projection (pseudodeformity), an overprojected caudal dorsum, a combination of both, or cephalically oriented lower lateral cartilages. In secondary patients, the deformity was caused by an underresected or overresected caudal dorsum, overresected midvault, underprojected tip (pseudodeformity), or a combination of some of these factors. The histopathologic evaluation demonstrated significant fibrosis in the supratip soft tissue of 14 of 16 patients undergoing secondary rhinoplasty without the injection of triamcinolone acetonide and in only 13 of 23 patients who underwent primary rhinoplasty (p<0.05). A supratip deformity can be eschewed by proper resection of the caudal dorsum, avoidance of dead space, restoration of adequate projection to the nasal tip, and an approximation of the supratip subcutaneous tissue to the underlying cartilage using a supratip suture, hence eliminating the dead space. If the problem is noted shortly after surgery, in the presence of collapsible consistency of the supratip tissue and adequate projection, the treatment is taping the supratip tissue as often as it is practical. If no favorable response is elicited in 6 to 8 weeks, thejudicious injection of a small amount of triamcinolone acetonide (0.2 to 0.4 cc of 20 mg/cc) in the deep subcutaneous tissue (not in the dermis) is done. The injection is repeated in 4-week intervals until the desired effect is achieved. If supratip fullness is the consequence of inadequate cartilage resection or inadequate tip projection, surgical correction is needed. The recalcitrant soft-tissue excess in the supratip area is resected, and the subcutaneous soft tissue is approximated to the underlying cartilage. If the dorsum was previously overresected, a cartilage graft to the caudal dorsum or midvault will create an optimal dorsal frame and reduce the potential for a recurrent supratip deformity.