Application of septal extension grafts with auricular cartilage in rhinoplasty

Abstract

Objectives: Rhinoplasty is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries in China. Septal extension grafts (SEG) have been widely used in rhinoplasty, but there are few reports on SEG derived from ear cartilage. This study aims to explore the effectiveness and stability of auricular cartilage nasal SEG transplantation in Chinese rhinoplasty.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 rhinoplasty patients admitted from September 2019 to March 2022 has been conducted. Among them, 29 patients underwent rhinoplasty for the first time and 6 patients underwent rhinoplasty with the age of 18-32 (average 22.4) years old. The postoperative follow-up was 3-28 (average 18.5) months. The improvement of the nose shape was observed. The changes of the nose tip angle, nasolabial angle, and nasofrontal angle were compared between before and after the operation, and the complications were recorded.

Results: All patients who underwent rhinoplasty with a septal extension grafts constructed from the concha cavity and concha cartilage showed significant improvement in nasal contour. The preoperative nasal tip angle, nasolabial angle, and nasofrontal angle were significantly improved compared with 3 months after operation (all P<0.001), and there was no significant difference between 3 months and 14 months after operation (all P>0.05). The appearance of nasal cavity was satisfactory in 32 patients after operation. Columella deviation occurred in 2 patients and 1 patient complained of downward rotation of the nasal tip, which was satisfied after readjustment of the graft.

Conclusions: The simplified SEG derived from auricular cartilage can provide stable support for the nasal tip, the nasal shape is natural after operation, and minimal trauma of unilateral auricle cartilage transplantation remains.

目的: 鼻整形术是国内最普遍的美容手术之一，鼻中隔延伸支架已经被广泛应用于鼻整形术中，但对耳软骨来源的鼻中隔延伸支架移植物(septal extension grafts，SEG)报道较少。本研究探索耳廓软骨SEG在国人鼻整形术中应用的有效性和稳定性。方法: 回顾性分析2019年9月至2022年3月收治的35例鼻整形患者的临床资料。其中29例为初次进行鼻整形，6例为鼻修复；年龄18~32(平均22.4)岁；所有患者采用耳甲腔、耳甲艇软骨来源的鼻中隔延伸支架行鼻整形术。术后随访3~28(平均18.5)个月，观察鼻部外形改善情况，比较术前术后鼻尖角度、鼻唇角、鼻额角的变化，记录并发症。结果: 使用耳甲腔及耳甲艇软骨搭建的鼻中隔延伸支架进行鼻整形术后，所有患者的鼻外形均得到显著改善。术后3个月患者的鼻尖角度、鼻唇角、鼻额角与术前相比均明显改善(均P<0.001)，术后14个月与术后3个月各项指标相比差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。32例患者术后鼻腔外观满意；2例患者发生鼻小柱偏斜；1例患者诉鼻尖下旋，重新调整移植物后效果令人满意。结论: 耳软骨来源的SEG可以为鼻尖提供稳定的支撑，术后鼻的形态自然，单侧耳廓软骨移植创伤小。.

Objective: Rhinoplasty is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries in China. Septal extension grafts (SEG) have been widely used in rhinoplasty, but there are few reports on SEG derived from ear cartilage. This study aims to explore the effectiveness and stability of auricular cartilage nasal SEG transplantation in Chinese rhinoplasty.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 rhinoplasty patients admitted from September 2019 to March 2022 has been conducted. Among them, 29 patients underwent rhinoplasty for the first time and 6 patients underwent rhinoplasty with the age of 18-32 (average 22.4) years old. The postoperative follow-up was 3-28 (average 18.5) months. The improvement of the nose shape was observed. The changes of the nose tip angle, nasolabial angle, and nasofrontal angle were compared between before and after the operation, and the complications were recorded.

Results: All patients who underwent rhinoplasty with a septal extension grafts constructed from the concha cavity and concha cartilage showed significant improvement in nasal contour. The preoperative nasal tip angle, nasolabial angle, and nasofrontal angle were significantly improved compared with 3 months after operation (all P<0.001), and there was no significant difference between 3 months and 14 months after operation (all P>0.05). The appearance of nasal cavity was satisfactory in 32 patients after operation. Columella deviation occurred in 2 patients and 1 patient complained of downward rotation of the nasal tip, which was satisfied after readjustment of the graft.

Conclusion: The simplified SEG derived from auricular cartilage can provide stable support for the nasal tip, the nasal shape is natural after operation, and minimal trauma of unilateral auricle cartilage transplantation remains.

Abstract as indexed by PubMed; the article is open access (PubMed Central).