Alar batten grafting for management of the collapsed nasal valve

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is to describe a commonly overlooked etiology of nasal airway obstruction. Collapse of the nasal valve can be corrected with precise placement of cartilage grafts. This study demonstrates the surgical technique, rarely described in the literature, of placing a contoured cartilage graft in the nasal valve region for the improvement of the nasal airway.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of surgical results of the 21 patients who underwent alar batten grafting performed over a 3-year period at the Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, PA).

METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of 21 patients surgically treated with alar batten grafts for nasal valvular collapse between the 1997 and 1999. The surgical technique is described, and our results are analyzed including for both functional and aesthetic outcome.

RESULTS: All patients treated with alar batten grafting at the nasal valve improved with regard to their airway obstruction. There were no complications, and there was only minor aesthetic fullness in six cases.

CONCLUSIONS: Alar batten cartilage grafting is an easy, highly effective therapeutic measure in the treatment of nasal valve collapse. The surgical technique is demonstrated.