Dorsal augmentation with septal cartilage

Deficiency of nasal dorsal projection may be inherent or acquired. Repair is most commonly performed with an onlay graft. When nasal septal cartilage is available, it is the author's preferred source for graft material. It is important to realize that dorsal augmentation is an operation performed for aesthetic not functional reasons. As such, patients understandably scrutinize their postoperative result, and attention to detail in all aspects of the surgery is critical in achieving a favorable outcome. The author's technique for using septal cartilage for dorsal augmentation is presented. Specific considerations include patient selection and analysis, graft harvesting, preparation, and placement, donor-site care, and recipient site preparation and postoperative care.