Spreader graft question. Are they are held on by stitches?

Hello and thank you for your question.  Spreader grafts must be sutured in place in order to ensure a stable longterm result.  A precise pocket dissection is also important.  I frequently use spreader grafts to straighten the asymmetric nose and to help improve breathing.  I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.Best wishes and good luck.Richard G. Reish, M.D.Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Via the open approach, spreader grafts are secured in place during surgery with sutures. This ensures they stay where intended during the healing process. Typically long lasting dissolvable sutures or permanent sutures are used but the healing process causes surrounding scar tissue to form which further helps secure the grafts.In some cases spreader grafts can be placed during a closed rhinoplasty. For these cases they are slipped into a pocket similar to what you described. 

If the spreader grafts are placed through an open rhinoplasty, sutures are placed to keep them immobile during the healing period.  Most surgeons use long lasting absorbable sutures because over time the grafts will become fused to the surrounding structures through normal scar formation and fibrosis.