Powered versus Cold Instruments in Rhinoplasty: A Perspective

Rhinoplasty surgeons must continually strive to refine and improve their results. Improvement may be borne out of new surgical techniques, alternative perioperative medicines, or through the application of new technologies. One technology that has recently gained popularity are piezoelectric osteotomes (POs). These instruments offer a powered alternative to the traditional chisel osteotome. This article provides a history of these two modalities, reviews the most recent data surrounding piezoelectric osteotomy, and provides a framework to compare the pros and cons of each osteotomy option.