Can Rib Cartilage Warp After Healing is Done?

A rib cartilage graft can warp beyond what you would like it to and may change past the period of healing of your nose.  That said, there are techniques to ensure that you have minimal warp or change to the rib graft after the surgery.  The graft generally does not conform to the bone, but rather needs to be shaped properly at the time of surgery.  One technique that helps prevent graft warp is to run a rigid metal wire, called a K-wire, down the core of the graft.

Hi,

Rib cartilage can warp after Rhinoplasty based on a poor technique during the surgery.

That being said, there are other sources of cartilage donors for autologous grafting such as the nasal septum and the ear.

Some surgeons prefer to use silastic or gortex implants instead of cartilage.

At the end, every patient is different and so every surgery will be; commendable results require exceptionally skilled surgeons to establish them.

I hope this helps.

Thank you for your inquiry.

The best of luck to you.

Dr. Sajjadian

Yes rib can warp and is painful.  Also it has many complications and therefore for35 years I have used septal and then ear cartilage. 

 Yes, IMHO rib cartilage, rib bone, calvarial bone and irradiated cartilage all have the tendency to dissolve unevenly (appears as warping) creating dips and depressions.  I prefer using a straight, silastic dorsal grafts for building up the nasal bridge.

Yes, a solid piece of rib cartilage can warp after placement on the nasal bridge. For this reason I prefer to use diced cartilage for rib augmentation.