Minimally Invasive Harvesting Technique for Costal Cartilage Graft: Donor Site, Morbidity and Aesthetic Outcomes

Cartilage grafts are well-known as being reliable in reconstructive surgery for craniofacial pathologies. The aim of this study is to describe a new technique which requires an incision smaller than 1.5 cm but is still effective for harvesting cartilage graft. Thirty-six patients who underwent costal cartilage harvesting for septorhinoplasty have been included in this study, admitted from January 2018 to December 2021. Out of 36 patients, 34 have not reported any major complications, and two cases were followed up for pneumothorax. There were no infections and no chest wall deformities. All patients reported minimal pain at the donor site. The Vancouver Scar Scale was used to evaluate the entity of the postoperative scarring phenomena. This scale total ranges from 0 (representing normal skin) to a maximum score of 13 (representing worst scar imaginable). The results were 1.53 SD +/- 0.64 (on average) 1 week after the surgical procedure and 1.28 SD +/- 0.45 (on average) at the 6 months follow-up. This minimally invasive method provided a valid and effective surgical technique for cartilage graft. Despite the limitations of the case series, it seems that this procedure might be comparable to other and well-established traditional procedures and could be even preferred when the minimal invasiveness is mandatory.

Automated summary

This study describes a new technique for harvesting cartilage grafts in reconstructive surgery with a small incision size of less than 1.5 cm. The technique was successfully applied to 36 patients without major complications such as infections or chest wall deformities. The Vancouver Scar Scale was used to evaluate postoperative scarring, and the results showed minimal scarring at both 1 week and 6 months after the procedure. This minimally invasive method provides a valid and effective approach for cartilage grafts.