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The use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) in rhinoplasty. A 6-year experience
M S Godin1, S R Waldman, C M Johnson
1Department of Otolaryngology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, USA.
Objective:
To determine the safety and efficacy of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex soft-tissue patch, W. L. Gore & Assoc Inc, Flagstaff, Ariz) as an implant in rhinoplasty.
Design:
A retrospective study of 137 patients who underwent rhinoplasty including augmentation with Gore-Tex over a 6-year period. A review of the medical literature concerning the use of Gore-Tex as an implant in the head and neck was also conducted.
Setting:
Two major academic medical centers and two private office surgical centers.
Participants:
One hundred thirty-seven consecutive patients who received Gore-Tex implants in the course of rhinoplasty.
Intervention:
Sixty-nine patients presented for primary rhinoplasty; the remaining 68 presented for revision surgery. All received Gore-Tex nasal implants to augment the nasal dorsum and/or base. The grafts ranged from 1 to 6 mm in thickness. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 80 months, with an average of 25 months.
Outcome Measures:
Clinically noted complications and patient satisfaction.
Results:
Three (2.2%) of 137 grafts became infected and were removed. One graft was removed 5 months post-operatively because of excessive augmentation. None of the patients who underwent implant removal required subsequent augmentation. All 137 patients are pleased with their results.
Conclusion:
Gore-Tex is a safe and effective implant material to use in primary and revision rhinoplasty when augmentation is needed and autogenous material is not available or desirable.