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Soft and Firm Alloplastic Implants in Rhinoplasty: Why, When and How to Use Them: A Review of 311 Cases

  • Original Article
  • Rhinoplasty
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Abstract

Background

Modern rhinoplasty is not just a reduction procedure. An optimal nasal esthetic result occasionally requires augmenting the nasal tip, the dorsum or the lateral wall with autografts or alloplasts. A large number of nasal implant types have been reported in the medical literature.

Objective

The goal of this article is to demystify the role and indications of nasal implants in rhinoplasty. As well, it offers both the novice and experienced nasal surgeon a basic, simplified and organized approach to the use of soft and firm nasal implants in rhinoplasty.

Methods

This article presents the authors experience with 311 rhinoplasties using both soft and firm alloplastic implants. The indications for both types of alloplasts are discussed, the surgical technique detailed and the outcomes analyzed.

Results

A total of 311 nasal implant cases were reviewed. This series revealed a low incidence of postoperative infection (5.57% for soft implants and 0.1% for the firm ones). The revision rate was 2.7% for the soft implants group and 7.1% for the firm implants group.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their thanks to Ildiko Horvath, medical artist, for her assistance in preparing the artwork; to Minerva Khalife, clinical coordinator, for medical photography; to Amina Flitta, executive assistant, for the editing of the manuscript; and to Barbara Ambuster, M.A., for the proofreading.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Facial Plastic, Reconstructive and Esthetic Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, 1 Westmount Sq, Suite 1380, Montreal, QC, H3Z 2P9, Canada

    Nabil Fanous, Valérie Côté, Yaseen Ali, Amanda Fanous & Maude Campagna-Vaillancourt

  2. Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Bureau 8501, Sherbrooke, QC, J1H 5N4, Canada

    Nabil Fanous & Athanasios Tournas

  3. Department of Plastic Surgery, Hôpital de Gatineau, 909, Boulevard La Vérendrye, Gatineau, QC, J8P 7H2, Canada

    Patricia Berbari

Authors
  1. Nabil Fanous
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  2. Athanasios Tournas
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  3. Valérie Côté
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  4. Yaseen Ali
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  5. Patricia Berbari
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  6. Amanda Fanous
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  7. Maude Campagna-Vaillancourt
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Correspondence to Nabil Fanous.

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The authors declare they have no conflict of interest and did not receive any funding for this study.

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Fanous, N., Tournas, A., Côté, V. et al. Soft and Firm Alloplastic Implants in Rhinoplasty: Why, When and How to Use Them: A Review of 311 Cases. Aesth Plast Surg 41, 397–412 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-017-0785-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-017-0785-3

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