Anatomical and functional account on the lateral nasal cartilages

Due to the fact that the literature in the last 20 years shows contradictory points of view regarding the morphology and relations among the nasal cartilages in man, gross, semi-macroscopic and light-microscopic surveys were carried out in 20 adult and fetal human noses. It was concluded that the septodorsal cartilage is made up of only one block. The attachment of the septodorsal cartilage to the nasal bones takes place from 2 to 5 mm in the inner aspect of the latter. The distal and fibrous portions of the lateral cartilage and the greater alar cartilages act as valves.