Can alar batten graft migrate after surgery?

Grafts can move for the first few weeks before things are scarred into position unless they have been secured into position with sutures.  However, scar tissue could potentially displace cartilage grafts inward creating some degree of obstruction over time.  If this is a concern, a visit to your surgeon should help to answer some of these questions definitively.

Usually grafts in the nose are pretty secure after a few weeks.  By about six weeks, most of the scarring has matured enough that patients can resume normal activities without being overly nervous that the grafts will shift.

Its extremely rare to have a cartilage graft migrate, but it is possible due to the scar contracture forces of healing. Cartilage grafts are placed in precise pockets, so there is really no where for them to migrate to. For more information and many examples of rhinoplasty, please see the link and the video below

It is always a possibility for the graft to migrate due to a variety of factors. Placement and securing the grafts is very surgeon dependent. In my practice, I place a suture that holds the graft in place for one week before removing it. However, if the pocket that the graft is placed in is tight enough, then this can also minimize the need to place a suture and prevent future migration. 

This is very uncommon. Alar batten grafts should be placed in a pocket that is just slightly larger than the graft itself. This is main method of ensuring the graft does not move following its placement. I hope this information is helpful for you.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon

Typically the space or pocket created for the graft is just barely larger than the graft itself so it really has nowhere to go. Grafts that are placed in oversize pockets are usually stable after about 6 weeks, but late scar contracture can cause a change in the shape of the area.