The nasal tip: cartilage repositioning

Two hundred and forty patients who underwent a corrective rhinoplasty have been presented. Of these, 224 patients (93.3 percent) had a cartilage repositioning procedure in which the alar cartilages were only undermined and repositioned, and 16 patients (6.7 percent) had a cartilage resection procedure. The techniques and indications for both procedures are described and discussed. The results obtained in this series of patients indicate that cartilage repositioning is an effective and reliable procedure to refine and reshape the nasal tip. Cartilage resection is less reliable and should be reserved for a few selected patients with specific indications. Indiscriminate resection of the lower alar cartilage is neither warranted nor wise.