The effect of releasing tip-supporting structures in short-nose correction

Correction of a short nose has been regarded as one of the most challenging and at times vexing procedures in rhinoplasty. One surgical option used to prolong nasal length is the freeing of the alar cartilages from adjacent structures by dividing the nasal tip supporting tissues. Five fibrous connections are known to be important in maintaining the nasal tip shape: fibrous tissues between the upper lateral and lower lateral cartilages; the lateral border of the lower lateral cartilages at the pyriform aperture; the interdormal ligament and anterior septal angle; the footplate of the medial crus and septal cartilage; and the dermocartilaginous ligament. This study was designed to determine which of the fibrous connections providing nasal tip support offer the most effect of lengthening when these structures are divided. We performed 10 open rhinoplasties on fresh cadavers, and we sequentially divided the previously mentioned tip-supporting structures, except the dermocartilaginous ligament. The mucoperichondrium of the upper lateral and septal cartilages was also elevated, in accordance with the usual order of being released in a short-nose correction procedure. We measured the distance between the anterior septal angle and tip-defining points by using calipers while the middle crura of the lower lateral cartilages were stretched with a skin hook. We found that the most effective length was gained by severing the lateral crus from the upper lateral cartilages, and moderate gain was noted from the release at the pyriform aperture and mucoperichondrium of the upper lateral cartilage. Release of other tip-defining structures was not statistically effective.