Improvement of Nasal Dorsal Onlay Graft Appearance after Augmentation Rhinoplasty with Costal Cartilage for Thin- Skinned Patients

Background The camouflage of the nasal dorsum is very important for thin-skinned patients. In this study, the authors presented an improved method for these patients and evaluated the safety and efficacy of this method in augmentation rhinoplasty. Methods Fifty-two thin-skinned nose Chinese patients, ranging in age from 18 to 42 years, who underwent open augmentation rhinoplasty with modified perichondrium on dorsal onlay graft were included in the study. Among these patients, 24 of them were primary cases, and the other cases were secondary. The Rhinoplasty Outcomes Evaluation (ROE) scale and Visual aid scoring (VAS) questionnaire were used to evaluate aesthetic outcomes. Results During the long-term follow-up (ranging from 6 to 20 months), the ROE scores of each item before and after surgery were statistically significant in our study. The total scores of the preoperative and postoperative ROE scale of the study were 9.77 +/- 3.18 and 20.65 +/- 1.88, respectively, which indicated reasonably high satisfaction. According to the VAS questionnaire, patients' own evaluations of the nasal dorsal improvement rendered a high satisfaction rate. One case of fat liquefaction at the donor site and two cases of warping occurred and no other major complications were encountered. Conclusion Covering the two edges of the graft with perichondrium on the onlay dorsal graft seems a convenient and effective method for thin-skinned augmentation rhinoplasty, which was the best choice for camouflage of the nasal dorsum in our department.

Automated summary

The study demonstrated that utilizing perichondrium to cover the edges of the graft in dorsal onlay augmentation rhinoplasty for thin-skinned patients is a convenient and effective method for nasal dorsum camouflage. Patients showed high satisfaction with the nasal dorsal improvement postoperatively, indicating reliable outcomes.