An alternative technique to define and visualize columellar and nasal tip vectors. Improvement of mestizo nose.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: With some frequency, in mestizo rhinoplasty, we focus much of our attention on the nasal tip. This work also highlights the importance of obtaining a proper balance of the columella, achieving a pleasing visual effect of the vector lines that make up the nasal profile (columella and nasal tip vectors). METHODS: We performed a complete medical history in all patients and developed a surgical plan after nasal anatomy analysis. Pre- and postoperative photographs were obtained for medium and long term control. RESULTS: We treated 112 patients with this surgical technique, 77 with an open approach and 35 with a closed approach. The results were documented in the short and long term with a range of 6 months to 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: We feel that the use of an angulated extended columellar graft is highly polyfunctional, providing length, definition and support to nasal tip grafts. Because of the graft design, it is possible to predetermine the new columella length/tip, thus visualizing the columella and nasal tip vectors of the nasal profile. The angulated extension prevents cephalic-lateral-caudal displacements of the tip graft, and to some degree it is possible to increase or decrease nasal length depending on the angularity of the extension.