Jason Litner, MD

Most surgeons prefer septal cartilage for tip reconstruction when it is available. However, ear cartilage is a wonderful material for supporting the lateral crura with grafts. It is flexible but has some firmness and has a natural curvature similar to the normal lateral tip cartilage. The answer to your specific question of whether it will be adequate really depends on your anatomy and the extent of your valve collapse. In cases where there is significant loss of support in the setting of thick skin, ear cartilage may not be enough, but in our experience that is a very rare situation.

Good luck with your revision.