Spare Roof Technique: A New Technique for Hump Removal-The Step-by-Step Guide

Humpectomy is one of the most common steps in reduction rhinoplasty among Caucasian patients. The most widespread procedures to address hump removal are both the "en bloc humpectomy" (with reconstruction of the middle third with spreader grafts) and the "split hump technique" (with confection of spreader flaps). The spare roof technique, for rhinoplasty reduction, has been developed over the past 4 years. In this technique, the upper lateral cartilages are completely preserved-even the hidden part under the caudal aspect of the nasal bones. It consists of five main steps: step 1, the upper lateral cartilages are released from the dorsal aspect of the nasal septum; step 2, a 1-mm strip of the dorsal septum is taken in each movement as required; step 3, ostectomy of the caudal aspect of nasal bones, keeping the upper lateral cartilages intact and releasing the "lateral" (left and right) pyriform aperture ligament; step 4, classic medial and lateral osteotomies (closing the open bony roof); and step 5, suturing the upper lateral cartilages to the dorsal septum and thus avoiding the natural spring effect. The outcomes of the first 100 patients have been validated by a prospective, interventional, and longitudinal study performed on patients undergoing primary rhinoplasty by means of the spare roof technique. This study confirms that the spare roof technique significantly improved patient quality of life regarding nose function and appearance. It is a reliable technique that can help deliver consistently good results in Caucasian and Mediterranean patients with a dorsal hump seeking rhinoplasty.