Do cartilage grafts weaken in the long term?

Unless a complication called late resorption happens; this extremely rare eventuality may appear during the first year after grafting the nose with autologous cartilages. Theories explain it with some kind of immune self reaction or by late onset of ischemia (poor blood supply).Once this stage is over the cartilages can be considered integrated and part of your new nose, like would be the original cartilages you were born with at your nose.

We have seen followup  from some of our old rhinoplasty patients after 15 and 20 years ago and the grafts are still in place today many years later. As long as the grafts are in place and did not resorb, they should be intact for many years. For more information and many examples, please see the link and the video below

Typically cartilage that is used to create structure to the nose is long lasting. That being said, depending on how thin the grafts are and how well they incorporate into the tissues can determine if they will undergo some element of resorption. It is difficult to say if the entire thickness of the graft will last a lifetime. Nevertheless, they are a useful material to provide structure to the nose. 

There in no question that cartilage changes over the long term. However this does not always translate to a loss of support or to a noticeable cosmetic change. I have used all forms of cartilage over the past 25 years in all areas of the nose.    These are my findings.........   Ear cartilage looks great and holds up nicely even over time as augmentation and replacement for the lateral crus of the lower lateral cartilage. What changes in the cartilage occur, and some do, are balanced by scar tissue formation that seems to keep the original cosmetic change present.                                     Columella struts with septal cartilage will weaken over time, every time.    However the thicker the strut the longer this takes. Eventually most nasal projection corrections will once again begin to sag from loss of support.                                      Any cartilage put over the nasal dorsum whether it is banked cartliage, rib cartilage, septal cartlage or ear cartilage will rapidly be resorbed and/or warp and distort. The only material that lasts on the dorsum is bone and preferrably calvarian from the patient himself or herself                                      No matter how good you look in the short term these changes will happen in the long term. I have seen people look fantastic at year three and terrible at year four. This is the reality.                                        Artificial implants will not change over time but are 100% contraindicated because of the serious complications they will all lead to over time. NEVER use them!