What is an alar rim graft?
Alar and perialar rim grafts are rods or little splints made of cartilage. They are placed under the caudal margin of alar cartilages. They may be applied for primary and secondary rhinoplasty.
What is nasal reconstruction used for?
Nasal reconstruction fills defects or holes created by skin cancer treatment, while rhinoplasty, or cosmetic nasal surgery, alters and enhances the physical appearance or function of the nose. Despite being so different, at their core, both procedures enhance nasal aesthetics.
What is a nasal Alar?
The nasal ala (plural alae) forms the lateral part (wing) of the nasal vestibule. The alar cartilage on each side provides a skeleton for the other soft tissue components.
What is alar notching?
Alar rim retraction (or notching) is one of the most common complications of primary and secondary rhinoplasty. [4, 5, 6, 7, 8] Alar rim retraction can also occur in the patient without previous nasal surgery. Alar rim retraction is typically due to arching, malpositioning, or surgical weakening of the lateral crura.
Is there a problem with the alar rim of the nose?
Rhinoplsty surgeons also frequently refer to this problem as alar retraction, referring to the alar rim being retracted or pulled upward. In rare cases, the appearance of alar retraction can be present congenitally in the absence of any history of prior nose surgery.
Can a cartilage graft be used to correct alar retraction?
In mild cases of alar retraction where the nostril rim has been pulled up, a procedure can be done using what is called an alar rim cartilage graft to help correct the deformity.
How are composite grafts used for nasal reconstruction?
This paper describes a technique that enables the use of composite grafts for these specific nasal defects. Termed modified composite grafts (MCG), they involve creation of a dermal pedicle on the graft that enlarges the surface area of contact between the graft and the recipient bed.
How are auricular cartilage grafts used in rhinoplasty?
These grafts are used for a variety of purposes in nasal reconstruction and rhinoplasty including, alar retraction, short nose patients, overly narrow nostrils, soft tissue triangle absence, etc. They are valuable grafts in the revision rhinoplasty surgeon’s aresenal.
