Columellar advancement with porous polyethylene sheet columellar strut and dorsal augmentation wit silicone implant

ABSTRACT

The nasal tip of the Asian is characterized by a bulbous appearance due to thick and tense skin. flaring of nostrils, and a short nasal tip projection due to underdevelopment of alar cartilages and retruded columella. Conventional augmentation rhinoplasty using silicone implant which has been routinely performed at the Asian nose has its limitations. Over the past 2 years, a total 33 patients, aged 19 to 47 years(mean 29 years) underwent open rhinoplasty to correct columellar retraction, to lengthen the nose and to improve the appearance of the nasal tip using columellar strut in conjunction with augmentation with silicone dorsal implant. The columellar strut for control of columellar shape is optimally constructed from 0.85 mm thickness porous polyethylene(Medpor)sheet. The columellar strut is placed between the medical crura and fixed to the caudal septum. With the strut stabilized, each medial crus is advanced to the desired position. The fixation sutures are placed at 3 points the dormal segment of the middle crus, the junction of the middle and medial crus, and the junction of the columellar segment and the footplate segment of the medial crus of the alar cartilage. Twenty-five surface measurements based on the works of Farkas included 9 singles and 5 paired lengths, and 3 angles indirectly taken from the surface of the nasal stone model. The preoperative measurements were compared with those of the postoperative. The mean follow up period was 17 months(15-24 months). The analysis of the results was conducted using Wilcoxan matched-pairs signed-ranks test.The nose length, the nasal tip protrusion, the alar length, the alar half arc, the columellar length, the nostril length, and the alar rim-columellar length were significantly increased. The intercanthal distance, the nose width, the nostril width, and the upper lip length were significantly decreased. The nasolabial angle was also significantly increased. Good to excellent asethetic results were noted in all patient, although one patient did experience mild deviation of a columella. No extrusions occurred. Using the control columellar polyethlene strut, the retracted columella was advanced, the tip was projected, the nose was lengthened, and the nostril were narrowed and elongated. This technique is valuable in the rhinoplasty patient was has retracted columellar, short nose and long upper lip.