Augmentation rhinoplasty using injectable tissue-engineered soft tissue: a pilot study

In a previous animal study, the authors reported that cultured human fibroblasts suspended in Restylane, which is a modified hyaluronic acid, can produce human dermal matrices with extended in vivo stability. This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical efficacy of this method, particularly for augmentation rhinoplasty cases. Between January 2002 and June 2003, 11 patients were treated with subcutaneous implants of Restylane mixed with autologous fibroblasts for augmentation rhinoplasty. Of these 11 patients, a long-term follow-up for more than 1 year was possible in 6 patients. Appearance of reconstructed noses, degree and time of resorption, occurrence of complications, and patients' satisfaction were investigated. The injected implants remained in situ without evidence of significant resorption or loss of correction. All patients were satisfied with the achieved long-term results, and no complication occurred. The results obtained indicate that this method is well tolerated and may have a potential to be an effective means of performing augmentation rhinoplasty.