Surgical Burr-Assisted Lateral Osteotomy Technique in Septorhinoplasty

Achieving aesthetic and functional results in rhinoplasty requires meticulous techniques, and postoperative edema, ecchymosis, and pain can deteriorate the desired outcomes. Different osteotomy techniques are defined to have optimal outcomes while reducing edema, ecchymosis, and pain. In this study, the authors compared conventional and power-assisted surgical burr osteotomy techniques in terms of early postoperative complications. Patients who underwent primary open septorhinoplasty were included in the study and were divided into 2 groups. The first group had lateral endonasal osteotomy with conventional guided osteotomes, and the second group had lateral osteotomy with surgical round burr. Edema and ecchymosis scoring systems were used on the postoperative first, third, and seventh day to evaluate postoperative edema and ecchymosis, and the visual analog scale was used to evaluate pain severity on the postoperative period. Out of 70 patients who had undergone septorhinoplasty, 36 received conventional osteotomy and 34 received surgical round burr osteotomy. Periorbital ecchymosis scores were significantly lower in the second group on the postoperative first, third, and seventh days. The periorbital edema scores were significantly lower in the second group on the first postoperative day but no difference was found between postoperative days 3 and 7. Also, the pain scores were significantly lower in the second group. Osteotomy with surgical round burr yields less ecchymosis, edema, and pain in the early postoperative period than conventional osteotomy in primary septorhinoplasty patients.