Is ear cartilage adequate for typical Asian Rhinoplasty patient?

The source of cartilage is dependent on the degree of augmentation and projection you are trying to achieve.  A significant change can be created using cartilage from your septum and your ears; however, to achieve maximum augmentation and refinement, rib cartilage is necessary.The reason rib cartilage provides a greater degree of refinement is because it provides more structure since it is stronger.  Greater augmentation (or building of the bridge) is also possible because there is more cartilage available from the rib.  In addition, for projecting, lengthening, or counter-rotating the tip of the nose, rib cartilage grafts are often necessary to provide long-lasting results.  As you can imagine, ear cartilage is softer and there is not as much of it available.  For mild to moderate augmentation, ear cartilage in combination with septal cartilage (cartilage from inside your nose) will suffice, but for more dramatic augmentation rib cartilage is necessary. Some rhinoplasty surgeons prefer ear cartilage due to their discomfort in harvesting rib cartilage in a minimally invasive way, and so will recommend only ear cartilage.  Consulting with an Asian rhinoplasty specialist who does a high volume of Asian rhinoplasties using ear and rib cartilage will give you the best option regarding your exact nose.     

Ear cartilage is good to reconstruct the nasal tip, but usually doesn't have enough volume for bridge augmentation.  It is difficult to augment the Asian nose and get a nice result.  You may get best off avoiding the operation altogether, but impossible to tell without photos.

Typically, using septum and ear cartilage is adequate for bridge augmentation and tip lengthening. A lot depends on how much tip projection or bridge height increase is needed. With more extensive changes greater amount of cartilage would be needed. Another consideration besides the amount of cartilage available is the quality/strength of cartilage available for rhinoplasty. Ear cartilage isn't usually strong enough to create septal extension grafts to provide significant nasal lengthening. Septum cartilage is often strong enough though that's not always the case and there may be inadequate amounts of cartilage available for use.Rib cartilage (either from yourself or from a tissue bank) is another potential cartilage source. This would provide a large enough volume of strong cartilage if needed.You can read more about Asian rhinoplasty and see before and after photos at my web reference link below.  

Thanks for your question.It is best to consult with a plastic surgeon who has a lot of experience with Asian rhinoplasty.I routinely use a combination of cartilage from inside the nose and the ear cartilage to create better shape.Typically, these graft may be used with fascia to create natural looking result with improvement in the dorsum and tip area. Best wishes,Dr. Sajjadian

Dear mfan17,In general, we can use septum and ear cartilage to build up the nose and reinforce the tipWe would also cut the ear cartilage into very small pieces and wrap them in a fascia (a covering over muscles) so that it heals nicelyThe other option is to use rib cartilage and carve it precisely to raise the bridgeThe choice of cartilage will be up to you and your surgeonWhen you are ready, please see a rhinoplasty specialist who can address all of your concernsBest,Nima Shemirani

Ear cartilage for Asian rhinoplasty is sufficient for rhinoplasty based on my 35 year experience. Rib is my last choice since it is more painful, leaves a scar on chest ant is expensive. 

Thank you for the question. In many cases, a combination of ear cartilage and septal cartilage can be used for dorsal augmentation in Asian rhinoplasty. In some cases, I also use temporalis fascia as a covering for the diced or crushed cartilage. Best of luck moving forward!

There are several types of cartilage that can be used in rhinoplasty, including: Septal cartilageA common choice for minor to moderate rhinoplasty procedures, septal cartilage is easy to harvest and is ideal for nasal tip refinement. However, it may not be available if the patient has had previous nasal surgeries or has a deviated septum. Ear cartilageOften used for minor nose reshaping, ear cartilage is soft and easy to shape. However, it's not suitable for substantial nose restructuring due to its limited size. Rib cartilageAlso known as costal cartilage, rib cartilage is a good option for major nose reconstruction. It's plentiful and provides a solid and long-lasting framework. However, harvesting rib cartilage can be associated with risks such as pneumothorax, scarring, and postoperative pain. Cadaveric cartilageBecoming more popular, cadaveric cartilage is an alternative to using the patient's own cartilage. However, there is limited long-term data comparing cadaveric cartilage to cartilage from the patient's own body. Cartilage is a flexible, tough connective tissue that provides structural support and reduces friction in joints. It's much softer than bone, but it's flexible and malleable.

ear cartilage grafts can be adequate but it really depends.  If there is very little cartilage present in the nose the ears alone may not be enough especially if a significant change is desired.  It is very often the case and the Southeast Asian nose that both ears are required.  Many cases like this have very little septal cartilage to offer so this is not always a viable site to take a cartilage graft.  Rib grafting and silicone implants are other options as well.  Seek consultations with board-certified facial plastic surgeons who operate on the Asian nose frequently.  They should have several before-and-after photos showing there work and the specific techniques used in each case because no one set of techniques can be applied to every nose.Chase Lay, MDDouble board-certified facial plastic surgeonAsian facial plastics specialist

I believe that ear cartilage is adequate for 97% or primary Asian rhinoplasty patients.  If the septum is inadequate, then ear cartilage will do the job.  However, in a rare number of Asian Rhinoplasty patients, the rib cartilage may be required.