Are Alloplastic Implants Safe in Rhinoplasty?

Lessons Learned From Using Silicone Implants in Clean-Contaminated Regions of the Face

Augmentation rhinoplasty changes the shape of the nose using implanted material. In the 1980s, nasal implantology began to favor silicone over traditional autologous grafts because the synthetic material presented exciting benefits. However, long-term complications of nasal silicone implants have since emerged. This has necessitated the introduction of safe and effective materials. Despite an overwhelming transition to the use of improved implants, craniofacial surgeons will likely continue to see the consequences of silicone implant use as long-term complications arise in the innumerable patients who have had this procedure worldwide.

Augmentation Rhinoplasty in Cleft Lip Nasal Deformity Using Alloplastic Material and Autologous Cartilage

Secondary cleft rhinoplasty typically requires large amounts of cartilage grafts for augmentation. The purpose of this study was to present our short-term experience with alloplastic implants in cleft rhinoplasty. This was a retrospective cohort study of cleft lip and palate patients treated with secondary rhinoplasty at Hanoi Medical University Hospital and Ruby Hospital between 2017 and 2020. All rhinoplasty procedures consisted of lower lateral cartilage repositioning, a dorsal augmentation with silicone implant, columellar strut implant or graft, and onlay tip grafts. Cartilage was obtained from the septum and concha, and no cartilage was harvested from the rib. The study outcomes included the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) survey, a modified Mortier scoring scale, 8 intranasal measures of symmetry, and 4 nasofacial measures of tip projection and nasal length. Changes in patient satisfaction and nasal esthetics were compared before and after surgery. A total of 38 patients were included in the final study sample, of whom 65.79% had unilateral clefts. The overall complication rate was 7.89%, and there were 2 cases of infection and 1 case of dorsal implant displacement. Following rhinoplasty, ROE satisfaction scores significantly increased (+39.36, P<0.01) and Mortier severity scores decreased (-3.06, P<0.01). Nostril symmetry nearly normalized in width, height, and inclination. Mean columellar deviation decreased from 8.82 to 2.08 degrees, and nasal projection increased as assessed on multiple analyses. Patients with bilateral clefts had similar improvements in ROE and Mortier scores. In our experience, synthetic implants simplified the correction of cleft nasal deformity and eliminated the need for costal cartilage. We found that our protocol produced acceptable and stable short-term clinical results without increasing the complication rate above what has been reported with autologous grafts.