Association of Increasing Nasal Tip Projection With Lip Position in Primary Rhinoplasty

The effects of rhinoplasty maneuvers on adjacent facial features are an important component in preoperative planning and patient counseling. Tip projection modifications are commonly performed in both cosmetic and reconstructive rhinoplasty.

To evaluate the subsequent change in lip projection that results from increasing nasal tip projection.

In this case series, 20 patients underwent primary rhinoplasty with the objective of increasing tip projection during the period from October 1, 2014, to September 25, 2015. Preoperative and postoperative photographs were evaluated.

The increased tip projection was verified using the Goode ratio. Upper lip projection was calculated by the Z angle, which is based on the intersection between the Frankfort horizontal plane and the profile line. Vermilion height was also assessed.

Of the 20 patients in the study (19 females and 1 male; mean [SD] age, 26.8 [10.2] years; range, 16-52 years) 18 (90%) demonstrated an increase in upper lip projection when the tip projection was increased by either a columellar strut or tongue-in-groove maneuver. The Z angle demonstrated a statistically significant decrease of 2.7° (95% CI, 1.5°-3.9°; P < .001). Although the vermilion height did not change a significant amount, there was a trend toward an increase in mean height of 0.051 (95% CI, -0.00515 to -0.10685; P = .09).

Increasing nasal tip projection causes a measurable increase in upper lip projection. This new causal association has been applied to our filler injection armamentarium as an alternative way to achieve the desired result of a more youthful upper lip.

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