Do you cut out an entire sector of a rib cartilage for rhinoplasty? (Photo)

Question

I am curious that if you use rib cartilages, do you need to harvest/cut out an entire section (shown in picture) or can you simply carve out the mass you require without cutting it out (diced grafts etc). I'd still like all my cartilages intact, and would not want to live with potential risk of side effects of a missing cartilage Thanks in advance! Note: sorry for edit

Salih Onur Basat, MD, EBOPRAS · Answer

Hi and thanks for your question.
Generally rip cartilage is used in revision rhinoplasty operation. Whole part of rib cartilage unnecessary in most of the case so  partial rib carriage harvesting is preferred in most of the cases.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Hello. Good question. Although is not quite necessary to harvest rib cartilage for a rhinoplasty, only a very small portion will be harvest when necessary. Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for a detailed examination and other surgical options.

David C. Pearson, MD · Answer

Rib cartilage is usually reserved for certain revision rhinoplasty operations where no other good source of cartilage, such as septal cartilage, remains. However, the amount of cartilage harvested is typically quite small and does not really pose any long term side effect other than a very small and well-concealed scar. All the best,--DCPPearson Facial Plastic Surgery®

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

I am assuming that you are having a secondary rhinoplasty because I would never use rib in a primary rhinoplasty.  When rib cartilage is use, the rib doesn’t need to be removed, but just a small piece taken off the rib of the size needed.

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  Only a small portion of the rib needs to be harvested for cartilage.  An alternative to this is MTF cartilage (irradiated cadaveric rib cartilage).   Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and not just a computer animation system.  You should be able to view numerous pictures of actual patients with noses similar to yours performed by your surgeon.  If you cannot find enough real before and after pictures, then consider continuing your search for a surgeon. 
 
 Best wishes and good luck.

Richard G. Reish, M.D. FACS

Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

In most cases a subtotal or in situ rib harvest can be done. But that depends on whether the volume of graft needed is for major dorsal augmentation or for reversional rhinoplasty needs.

Vladimir Ramirez-Blanco, MD · Answer

I typically use split oblique technique which absolutely does NOT need to harvest entire rib, however it al comes to why do you need rib in the first place, so mostly in large reconstructive cases i will use entire segments of ribs, in particular the last ones(floating) that have a very low complication rate and almost no physical impairment. Always look for Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Rhinoplasty specialist.

Do you cut out an entire sector of a rib cartilage for rhinoplasty? (Photo)

Answers (7)

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