Ear Cartilage and Fascia?

Question

Generally speaking, how many millimeters can 1 ear cartilage augment (the bridge)? This number will vary but what is an approx. typical number? What about fascia? 1-2mm?

Babak Azizzadeh, MD, FACS · Answer

Depends on how it's fashioned and placed. I typically dice up the cartilage and wrap it with fascia. In combination we can get a significant amount of augmentation if needed

Benjamin Dunkley, DO · Answer

How much height you can get from an ear cartilage graft will vary. If the cartilage is layerd on the dorsum (bridge) of the nose, 1-2 millimeters is likely. Another technique I have used is to borrow the fascia of the temporal muscle from behind the ear as well as the ear cartilage. I sew the fascia into a cylinder and put the ear cartilage inside after it has been diced into small pieces. This creates what my surgical team affectionately calls the slug. Placing this on the dorsum I have had long lasting augmentation of 3-4 millimeters.

	Whatever you decide, I recommend agains a silicone implant. They are easy to place and typically less expensive. However, the silicone implants tend to thin the tip of the nose skin. I have had to remove quite a few. Good luck

Michael L. Schwartz, MD · Answer

Ear cartilage when stacked may add up to 3-4 mm of augmentation. Fascia typically will not provide augmentation but rather camouflage graft edges and support thin skin to prevent tight shrinkage over a graft.

	To prevent irregular graft edges it can also be used as "diced" cartilage in a fascia envelope.

Rick Rosen, MD · Answer

ear cartilage is very commonly used for augmentation or for reconstruction of a nose. Whether is will give sufficient material is in the judgement of the plastic surgeon. If the surgeon feels it is not sufficient then rib or bone graft from the skull is commonly used. I like to use only natural materials rather than silicone or other materials. Discuss wtih your plastic surgeon to determine your goals and what is the best approach to achieve that goal.

Michael Suzman, MD · Answer

To augment the bridge of the nose, many materials have been advocated by different surgeons.  Cartilage and fascia grafts have many advantages--  a low rejection rate, easy donor sites,, etc. 
	
		A composite graft of cartilage and fascia can augment the bridge or dorsum of the nose. Typically one ear donor site will provide no more than a couple of millimeters of augmentation, enough to camouflage any irregularities and provide some increased contour. Using both ear donor sites, more augmentation is possible. 
	
		Seek out a surgeon with experience in secondary and complex rhinoplasty to learn more. 
	
		I would caution against artificial biomaterials in the nose.

Louis W. Apostolakis, MD · Answer

Ear cartilage is frequently used as a source of material for nasal augmentation when the nasal septum is not available.  The cartilage can be carved and stacked resulting in several millimeters of thickness.  When even more material is needed, rib cartilage is the usual source.

	Fascia isn't able to provide much thickness at all.  It is a good choice for blending and smoothing in conjunction with cartilage, but not so much as a primary augmentation material.

Donald Nunn, MD (retired) · Answer

Less than 5 mm depending on the area to be grafted.  Any thing more would need a rib graft.  Donald R. Nunn MD  Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.

Ear Cartilage and Fascia?

Answers (7)

More Rhinoplasty Questions

How Can I Help Healing of Columella Incision?

Do Enlarged Lower Turbinates Always Show Up on a CT Scan?

Is It Common to Cut my Frenulum During a Rhinoplasty?

Will The Columella Soften Again After Strut is Placed In It?

How Can I Safely Apply and Remove Tape To My Nose After Rhinoplasty?

Can You Actually Feel You Nose Growing, or is It Something Else?

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS