A Novel Technique for Short Nose Correction in Asians: M-Shaped Conchal Cartilage Combining With Septal Extension Graft

Multiple techniques are available for short nose deformity correction. The septal extension graft represents the commonest method employed in Asians. However, a large number of surgeons hardly obtain esthetically satisfactory results since the majority of designs do not reflect the normally encountered surface anatomy of the nasal tip cartilage.

The authors designed a novel technique, which combined the M-shaped conchal cartilage with the septal extension graft for overcoming the above shortcoming in Asians.

Between February 2013 and March 2016, 33 patients presenting short nose deformity were surgically treated with the M-shaped conchal cartilage combined with the septal extension graft. The graft was an altered septal extension graft using the septal cartilage alongside the conchal cartilage. The harvested septal cartilage was located to the caudal septum and fixed with sutures. The conchal cartilage was trimmed into 2 strips, which were sutured together in an M-shape and firmly fixed in a bilateral manner to the caudal septal extension graft. Then, the alar cartilage was fixed with the M-shape graft. In all patients, nasal lengths, nasal tip projections, and nasolabial angles were assessed before and after surgery, respectively.

Nasal tip projections and nasal lengths showed remarkable increases, while columellar-labial angles were overtly decreased, in individuals surgically treated by the novel technique.

This study presents a new method for correcting short nose deformity in Asians. The M-shaped conchal cartilage combined with the septal extension graft may effectively lengthen the nose while closely representing the actual surface of the esthetic nasal tip.