[Open rhinoplasty: indications and limits of a controversial method]

As Aufricht has said, rhinoplasty is "... an easy operation to do, but it is hard to get good results". As it clearly observed in ENT rhinoplasties which deal with severe and combined defects of the nose which result in functional impairment. The aim of this study was to analyse complications in a personal series of open rhinoplasties as well as those in literature in order to standardize different surgical approaches possible in correcting various nasal deformities, divided according to a personal classification. Other than the classical intramucosal technique (following Roe, Joseph and Weir), the more conservative extramucosal operation (described by Jost and Aiach) and the more aggressive external approach are available to the surgeon. Intramucosal rhinoplasty is still the most dependable and widely used technique. However open rhinoplasty which brings about complications in less than 10% of the procedures, offers clear-cut advantages if employed following precise indications. In our experience, the main indications for open rhinoplasty are: severely crooked nose, above all of the II and III arch: crooked nose with saddle deformity; asymetrical defects (including those due to a cleft lip); 50% of the secondary rhinoplasties (excluding minor procedures).