Medial Osteoectomy as a Routine Procedure in Rhinoplasty: Six-Year Experience with an Innovative Technique

Abstract

Background

Medial osteotomy is an integral part of most rhinoplasty procedures, and when improperly performed, it is associated with postoperative complications and nasal contour deformities. In this article, we present a minimally traumatic and easy-to-perform medial osteoectomy technique with a pair of pliers, as a routine procedure, instead of the traditional medial osteotomy with osteotome and hammer. We report our experience with the use of the technique in a series of rhinoplasty procedures and review in brief the existing literature.

Methods

One hundred and thirty-five patients underwent rhinoplasty operations to correct aesthetic nose deformities, with the use of the suggested surgical technique. Two different types of medial osteoectomy, performed with the pliers, were used: Type I for dorsal nasal hump reduction and slight narrowing of the nose and type II for the management of a wide nasal dorsum along with or without hump removal.

Results

Postoperative results were favorable, by both clinical examination and comparison of preoperative and postoperative photographs, in 98.5% of patients. Only two patients with wide nasal dorsums had inadequate narrowing of their broad nose and underwent successful revision surgery.

Conclusions

The suggested technique is easy to perform, has a short learning curve, provides high accuracy over the location and amount of the nasal bone to be removed, but inflicts minimal trauma. As a result of the aforementioned advantages, the risk of postoperative complications is low, and most importantly, reliable, consistent, and aesthetically pleasing results are easily ensured.

Level of Evidence IV

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