Pros and Cons of Grafting in a Nose Job

Grafts are just another technique and are neither safe nor risky in any absolute sense.

The pros of grafting include better/stronger structure and more options in reshaping the nose. The cons include greater skill requirements by the surgeon, potentially longer surgical times, potential donor site problems (e.g., a rib graft creates a small scar on the chest), and the possibility of the graft showing to obviously down the road.

When I can use suture techniques, I do. But I also use a lot of grafts when needed (especially in revisions).

All the best,

--DCP

Most surgeons use septal cartilage first, then ear. then rib. Septal is easy to get and works very well if the surgeon is experienced. Rib cartilage is used when we done have ear or septal cartilage available. The grafts are safe to use and should not be avoided if they are needed!

Not all noses require cartilage grafts. Cartilage grafting is used only when needed such as in the tip, the bridge or spreader grafts in the mid third of the nose. They are very safe to use and it is not a good idea to avoid them when needed. The best cartilage to use is always going to be septal cartilage. The second best cartilage to use would be ear and then rib.   Cartilage grafts  placement can be accomplished with a closed rhinoplasty approach with all of the incisions placed on the inside of the nose. We have performed cartilage grafts in many of our rhinoplasty patients in our practice and have had excellent success with both nose and ear cartilage.

Placing grafts within thenose is very common during rhinoplasty. In many cases the best cartilage is from the septum.

Cartilage grafts have their place. They are used either for structural support (to hold the tip unit up, to widen the breathing space, to elongate the nose of the tip, to support a nose which collapses on deep breathing) OR they are used for cosmetic region to give the back of the nose a narrower look or the tip of the nose a more refined look. When patients have very thick skin cartilage tip grafts are needed to provide more tip definition.

The benefits of cartilage grafts are easy availability, they take easily and are relatively resistant to infection. The potential problems with them is mobility, warping and thinning of the overlying tissues among others.