An Anthropometric Study of Lateral Crus of Alar Cartilages in Koreans

ABSTRACT

The lack of information about alar cartilages in Orientals led us to conduct a morphologic and anthropometric study. Measurements of 52 lateral crura of alar cartilages in 26 Koreans were obtained during the 26 consecutive primary open approach rhinoplasties between September 1999 and February 2000 in the Korea University Guro Hospital. Ten were male and sixteen were female patients. Measurement parameters of lateral crus included shape, length, width, thickness, and distance of caudal border from nostril rim. In addition, symmetry of the cartilages and length of the middle crus were also investigated. In case of male patients (n=20), the most common shape was the concave shape (40%), followed by the concave-convex shape (30%). The average length, width, and thickness were 19.7, 10.5 and 0.54 mm. The distance from the nostril rim was 5.7 mm anteriorly, 7.3 mm middle, and 12.3 mm posteriorly. Eight patients showed symmetric shape. The length of the middle crus was 5.0 mm. In the female patients(n=32), the most common shape was the concave shape(50%), followed by the convex(25%) and convex-concave shape(25%). The average length, width, and thickness were 16.8, 9.8 and 0.54 mm. The distance from the nostril rim was 5.8 mm anteriorly, 6.5 mm middle, and 11.5 mm posteriorly. All 16 patients showed symmetric shape and the length of the middle crus was 4.9 mm. In conclusion, we could find that the lateral crus of alar cartilage in Koreans, contrary to popular myth, may not be significantly smaller than that of Caucasian.