Graft Paste to Tackle Nasal Dorsal Irregularities: A Comparative, Prospective, Double Blinded Study

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Rhinoplasty Techniques
• Nasal Reconstruction

Background:

• Preventing dorsal irregularities after rhinoplasty, particularly with high humps, remains a surgical challenge.
• Traditional methods using diced cartilage grafts can lead to secondary dorsal irregularities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of graft paste in preventing and correcting dorsal irregularities during rhinoplasty.
• To compare the aesthetic outcomes of graft paste versus diced cartilage.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 60 patients undergoing rhinoplasty.
• Group A received diced cartilage grafts, while Group B received graft paste.
• Aesthetic outcomes were assessed using the ROE questionnaire and physical examinations.

Main Results:

• Graft paste (Group B) yielded higher collected graft volumes and superior postoperative ROE scores compared to diced cartilage (Group A).
• Physical examination scores indicated significantly fewer irregularities in the graft paste group (0.62 ± 0.71) versus the diced cartilage group (1.12 ± 0.96).
• No visible dorsal irregularities were observed in the graft paste group, unlike two patients in the diced cartilage group.

Conclusions:

• Graft paste is a safe and dependable technique for managing dorsal irregularities in rhinoplasty.
• Its cohesive structure is ideal for smoothing nasal contours and filling dead spaces.
• Graft paste demonstrated superior aesthetic results compared to diced cartilage grafts.