Changes in Nasal Morphometry With Aging for a More Accurate Rhinoplasty

To assist in planning before the rhinoplasty approach, the authors aimed to investigate the changes in nasal morphometry that occur with age over a period of at least 10 years in the same individual.

Fifty adult patients from the Turkish population, with at least 2 head and neck 3D reconstructive computed tomography scans taken at least 10 years apart, were retrospectively reviewed. Various angular and linear measurements of the nasal region were performed on the initial and final images, and the data were compared based on sex and age groups.

In the study, it was found that all measured parameters showed statistically significant differences for both women and men after an average of 12.16 years. With aging, statistically significant increases were observed in NFRA, NMA, PNL, and NBH parameters in both sexes, while statistically significant decreases were noted in NFAA, NLA, NTA, GA, PA, and NTP parameters. When comparing the differences between the before and after data obtained from 3 different age groups, statistically significant changes were observed in each parameter.

This study highlights significant age-related changes in nasal morphometry over a 10-year period in both men and women. These variations emphasize the importance of incorporating age-related anatomic changes in preoperative rhinoplasty planning. Understanding these changes can lead to more precise and individualized surgical outcomes, improving the overall effectiveness and safety of rhinoplasty procedures.