Use of Medpor in Rhinoplasty for a Flat Nose?

    Everyone will have a different opinion on this, but the rates of infection are definitely in favor of autologous tissue, your own cartilage.  Any implant in the nose will have a greater incidence of infection.   I have had to take out several of these after infection, but that does not mean that using these implants is wrong for you.  If rib harvest is your only option, this harvest is not insignificant and has complications of its own.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

I think most nasal surgeons would agree that synthetic implants to the nose are not a wise idea. We all have seen these implants both extrude and become infected. Particularly Medpor is problematic because when there are problems, it is very difficult to remove it due to significant tissue ingrowth. There are plenty of non-synthetic alternatives for nasal dorsum augmentation including your own rib, cadaveric rib, AlloDerm (collagen matrix) and cartilage. It is not unreasonable to wait a year or two for the final results of nasal surgery and everything costs more in New York.......

 

I agree with the rest of the surgeons, that medpor is not recommended for a rhinoplasty and this is an old material not frequently used anymore.  I would guess your surgeon is older.  It is easy to build up the nose with a combination of diced cartilage harvested from you septum (or ear if no septum available) and wrapped in temporalis fascia.   There are many good rhinoplasty surgeons who can easily do this, myself included.  You should never pay $20,000 for a rhinoplasty.   Try getting other consultations. 

Best regards,

Dr. Lane Smith

It depends on how much augmentation you need but septum, ear or rib cartilage can be used.  Medpor has been used successfully in the nose but my preference is the patients own tissue.

For 35 years of doing rhinoplasty I have used septal or ear cartilage with NO infections and at half the cost of your quote. I feel there is no reason to use a foreign material when you can use your own without fear of rejection or infection. 

I would agree with the comments below that Medpor should not be used in the nose if other feasible options exist. In my years of experience, this type of implant has a much higher rate of complication versus other methods of reshaping the nose. I think the cost you quoted is quite high. Unfortunately, ear cartilage is not likely to work if you have a significant deficiency in bridge height. Silicone is an option but there are still better choices. A 2 year wait is not unusual when healling from rhinoplasty surgery.

I strongly recommend the use of your own cartilage before placement of nasal implants such as the Medpor to which your question is directed.For more information, please go to my website at:WirthPlasticSurgery.com

Medpore offers no support to the nose, it is simply a cosmetic implant.  It should not be used in the nose for the reasons already stated.  Always best to use your own nasal cartilage fist, then ear cartilage. A small silastic implant dorsal implant can be well tolerated in the right person  

I would avoid medpor for nasal augmentation. I prefer autologous cartilage like septum or rib. I have also used irradiated rib cartilage from cadaver which has been very successful with low infection rates.

this falls into the category of some surgeons like to use implants and will claim never having problems and many will say to never use them. What is certain is that use of implants does increase your risk of infection, extrusion and need for further surgery. If you have never had any nasal surgery then my recommendation would be for you to use your own cartilage. It will be safer and more natural.

 

Regarding cost, on my last trip to NYC this past November it did seem as my money just evaporated from my wallet in a heartbeat with little to show for it. It seems this extends to rhinoplasty as well as cab rides, bagel etc. You can do much better pricewise elsewhere with highly skilled and competent surgeons.