Rhinoplasty to correct nasal deformities in postseptoplasty patients.

BACKGROUND: Although not so common, septoplasty carries the risk of inducing nasal deformity such as saddle nose and deviated nose. Surgical correction for those deformities is a formidable task to deal with, because the septal cartilage framework was already weakened due to previous procedure. This study was designed to examine various causes and effective techniques of rhinoplasty for correction of nasal deformities after septoplasty.

METHODS: Subjects comprised 19 patients who developed nasal deformities after septoplasty. Pre- and postoperative photographs were analyzed by two rhinoplastic surgeons. Anthropometric measurements of the external nose before and after surgery were made using frontal and lateral photographs to objectively evaluate outcomes.

RESULTS: Intraoperative analysis showed that 5 patients had weak L-struts and 13 patients had displaced caudal septa. Septum was reconstructed using costal cartilage in 13 cases. Spreader grafting was performed in 13 patients and caudal septal extension grafts were performed in 10 patients. All but 1 patient had successful functional and esthetic outcomes. In the saddle nose group, all parameters except nasolabial angle were significantly improved. In the deviated nose group, curved deviated angles were completely corrected, whereas the linear deviated angle was not.

CONCLUSION: Loss of caudal septal support appears to be a major reason for nasal deformity after septoplasty. The best surgical approach for septal cartilage framework reconstruction appears to involve the use of bilateral spreader or septal extension grafts using costal cartilage.