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Lengthening the foreshortened nose
1Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA. drhamra@drhamra.com
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|August 10, 2001
Summary
A novel surgical technique uses a triple-stacked tip graft to lengthen a shortened nasal profile. This method offers a simple solution for a difficult-to-repair complication, particularly in older patients undergoing rhytidectomy.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Otolaryngology
- Facial Reconstruction
Background:
- Surgically shortened nose is a rare but challenging complication.
- Existing repair methods can be complex and yield suboptimal results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a straightforward surgical technique for nasal profile lengthening.
- To evaluate the efficacy of a triple-stacked tip graft for correcting a shortened nose.
Main Methods:
- A triple-stacked cartilage tip graft was placed caudal to the medial crura.
- The technique was applied to fifteen patients, many undergoing concurrent rhytidectomy (facelift).
- Skin redraping was facilitated by skin inelasticity in older patients.
Main Results:
- The technique successfully lengthened the nasal profile in the studied patients.
- The graft provided increased tip volume, effectively addressing the shortened nose.
- Older patients with reduced skin elasticity tolerated the increased graft volume well.
Conclusions:
- The triple-stacked tip graft is a simple and effective method for lengthening the surgically shortened nose.
- This technique is particularly advantageous in older patients undergoing concurrent facial rejuvenation procedures.
- It offers a viable solution for a difficult reconstructive challenge in rhinoplasty.