What is mid vault collapse?

Mid vault collapse  means that the central part of your nose is pushed in so that your nose looks like an hourglass. This can be corrected with cartilage grafts. If you look on my website as well as those of other surgeons you'll see examples of this correction as well as the photo of my patient next to this answer under featured doctors.

Hello,The mid vault is an area between the top of your nasal tip and the bony part of your nose.  It feels firm like bone on top but softer on the sides.  The side walls are cartilage, and they are crucial for proper airflow as well as for linear visual lines of the bridge, especially when viewing the nose in a 'three quarter view' (the way we look at the side of our nose in the mirror).These side wall cartilages are 'stuck' to the inside of the nasal bone, but after hump reduction surgery can fall away from them towards the midline septum, creating a visual 'step off', which kind of looks like a hump. Best of luck!

Dear rosiecon11 in Beverly Hills, CA:
The word “collapse” is a bit scary. It is not a collapse like when a roof
collapses under 10 feet of snow or collapses during a fire. While this is analogous to the roof of the
nose, the reference to collapse is that there is a little bit of weakness and
sometimes a structural “dip” between the nasal bones and the cartilage called
the upper lateral cartilage that occupies the upper third of the nose. Sometimes it can come from injuries,
sometimes it comes from surgery, and sometimes people are just born with weaker
cartilages. In itself it is a cosmetic
issue, but when the cartilages are very, very weak, if the patient has a
particular type of nasal obstruction, one may see these cartilages move inward
with deep inspiration. If the problem is
a cosmetic nuisance and not impinging on the breathing or worsening it, then it
can be corrected either with surgery or by a non-surgical technique including
temporary or permanent fillers.
The best advice is to have consultation with a surgeon
who majors in rhinoplasty and has a long run of experience and a high degree of
specialization. Check out the websites,
look at the patient reviews on review sites such a RealSelf and the others, and
look at the doctors’ before-and-after photos and see how similar cases have
been managed. When you do go for
consultation, be sure to have computer imaging and ask about whether if a
weakness of the middle third of your face is indeed a problem that can be
corrected using a temporary or permanent filler.
Best wishes,
Robert
Kotler, MD, FACS

Over
4,500 nasal procedures performed

Mid vault collapse usually is related to previous surgery or other trauma.  This refers to the cartilaginous dorsum .  The collapse refers to a weakening and narrowing between the upper lateral cartilage and septum known as the "internal nasal valve" .  Patients will usually complain of nasal obstruction and may have an inverted V shape/deformity  seen on frontal view.This is corrected with "spreader grafts" of cartilage placed between the upper lateral cartilage and septum to open the internal valve.  This usually rectifies any esthetic issues also. These grafts are typically harvested from the septum but if not enough is  available on account of previous nasal surgery,  auricular (ear) cartilage can be used.

The midvault is the middle third of the nose between the tip and the bone portion of the bridge. If it is collapsed the cartilage in that portion of the bridge is not providing proper architectural support so the airway can collapse during inspiration. if the collapse is significant the lower edges of the nasal bones in the upper third of the bridge are visible as an inverted V. The condition is treated with cartilage grafts.

 The nose is composed of 3 distinct components, these are the nasal bones at the top, the upper lateral cartilages in the middle, and the lower lateral cartilages  in the nasal tip. Mid vault collapse involves the upper lateral cartilages  in the midportion of the nose. One side or both sides can be collapsed inward due to a variety of factors. Cartilaginous spreader grafts are needed to bolster them and correct the collapse. For more information, diagrams and many examples, please see the video below

Mid vault collapse can occur if the underlying structures that support the mivault are compromised. Please make a consultation to discuss why your midvault may be collapsed and the surgical remedy for this. Please see example below.

Thank you for the question and following a rhinoplasty with a hump reduction the middle of the nose can colapse from resection of cartilage during the hump removal and that is called "mid vault collapse"  It is also frequently associated with difficulty breathing through the nose.Dr. Corbin