Do spreader grafts make the nose wider?

Hi Rosalie,Spreader grafts may or may not widen the mid third of the nose depending on the width of the spreader graft and the goal of the surgeon.  Make sure to choose your rhinoplasty surgeon most carefully.  Good luck and be well.Dr. P

Spreader grafts do not make nose wider unless that is what the surgeon wants to do many noses are too narrow in the mid nose. 

Spreader grafts is used to reconstruct the mid dorsum or the middle portion ot the nasal bridge.the junction of upper lateral cartilage and the dorsal septum forms an angle called internal nasalvalve which when narrowed ,by spreader graft placement opens the internal nasal valve.and technically widens the middle nasal vault.and restores a more pleasing brow tip aesthetic line.

Spreader grafts are functional grafts to improve or maintain nasal airflow.  This is not strictly a graft used for esthetics but usually the appearance of the nose will improve when used . This is because patients who require spreader grafts will often have a pinched appearance or "inverted v deformity"  over the middle 1/3 of the nose- "cartilagionous vault"  usually related to previous surgery or trauma. Internally this is seen as narrowing of the internal nasal valve.  Improving this deficiency with a spreader graft will create a more natural looking contour of the nasal dorsum as seen from the radix (top of the nose) to the tip.I do not use these grafts in primary rhinoplasty .  In primary rhinoplasty I will preserve more upper lateral cartilage than septal cartilage if removing a large hump.  This upper lateral cartilage can then be turned inwards to maintain normal airway patency and normal nasal esthetics, preventing pinching of the cartilagionous dorsum.

I do agree with my colleagues on this one. Typically the
grafts are hidden and not wide enough to cause external widening of the nose. That being said, if they are thick enough combined with a thin skinned patients, you certainly can see subtle widening of the middle vault of the nose. But, in
general they do not cause widening externally. 

Spreader grafts do increase the width of the middle vault and can help make for a smoother dorsal line. How much they increase the width of the middle vault can be negligible to significant based on the width of the cartilage grafts placed.

Spreader grafts can be positioned so as not to increase the nasal width, but in that position they may not improve the airway as much as you require. Speak with your rhinoplasty surgeon about whether your desired spreader graft position will give you what you need in airway improvement without nasal widening. 

Spreader grafts are placed after an aggressive dorsal hump resection to prevent middle third nasal vault collapse either in the short run or long run.  They are placed in a vertical fashion running along side the mid component of your nose.   In general, we can make those grafts as wide or as thin as we want.  If there is worry that we won't be able to maintain the airway with a thin graft then we'll use something slightly thicker but this will not necessarily widen the nose. 

 Spreader grafts or placed in the midportion of the nose on either one or both slides,depending upon the presenting issues. When the nose is concave on one side, a spreader graft is placed to straighten it. When patient's have an hourglass deformity in the upper lateral cartilages are concave on both sides,  spreader grafts are placed underneath both upper lateral cartilages. Depending upon the thickness of the grafts, they can make the nose more full, or wider. For more information, diagrams and many examples of spreader graft placement, please see the link and the video below

Spreader grafts are placed to preserve the integrity of the airway. They are placed between the septum and the upper lateral cartilages which correspond to the middle 1/3 of the nose. They may vary in size but one should expect some subtle change/widening in this atea