Combination of Crossbar and Let-Down Techniques for Dorsal Hump and Septal Correction in Rhinoplasty

Partial Release of Pyriform Ligament to Prevent Deformities on Keystone Area

The dorsal hump deformity is common among Western countries based on the nasal structure of Caucasians. Dorsal preservation techniques which leads keeping the keystone area intact can bring positive outcomes such as obtaining aesthetic dorsal lines and better functional results. The positions of soft tissue in the face are supported with a combination of static and dynamic ansatomy. The static support is maintained by ligaments and their associations. Among the ligaments, the pyriform ligament takes a particular role in terms of supporting the alar base, lower lateral cartilages, and nasal tip. In the present research, it was aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of releasing pyriform ligament partially in patients who received dorsal preservation rhinoplasty. The data of the patients who had dorsal rhinoplasty operations for hump deformity were screened retrospectively. A total of 139 patients were included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and their records were assessed (112 females and 27 males). Twelve months after surgery, the median Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation score increased from 52.5 to 91.5 points ( P <0.001). Patient satisfaction was excellent in 86.95% of the included cases according to the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation score. The present study shows a new, suitable, and easy approach for releasing the pyriform ligaments partially and as well as also were left intact. It is suggested that manipulation of the pyriform ligament during push-down and let-down procedures seems to be essential for obtaining a better nasal tip as well as narrowing the nose base and getting better functional outcomes.

Upper Lateral Cartilage Overlapping on the High Dorsum with the Let-Down Technique

INTRODUCTION

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common procedures among esthetic and plastic surgery interventions. Hump deformities are prevalent among Caucasians, and amputation of the hump is the traditional approach in these patients. The traditional hump reduction procedure is still popular among rhinosurgeons, and research on the management of hump deformities is still being conducted to obtain better outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of upper lateral cartilage overlapping in patients who underwent dorsal preservation rhinoplasty.

METHODS

In the present study, data from patients who applied to the author's private clinic for hump deformities were screened. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 47 patients were included in the study (39 females and 8 males). The evaluation of patients was performed with the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) scale. The combination of upper lateral cartilage overlapping with the let-down technique was assessed.

RESULTS

There was no hump relapse in any of the participants. The median initial ROE score was 50.00, and the median ROE increased to 91.00 after 12 months. The change in the median ROE score was found to be significant (p < 0.001). The patient satisfaction rate according to the ROE scale was found to be excellent in 89.9% (40/47) of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of upper lateral cartilage overlapping with the let-down technique will provide an alternative approach for surgeons to operate on patients with a high hump and narrow dorsum. This technique will also result in better esthetic and functional outcomes with a lower risk of complications.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Exploring the Resurgence of the Preservation Rhinoplasty: A Systematic Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

The underlying principles of preservation rhinoplasty (PR) center around maintaining the soft tissue envelope, dorsum, and alar cartilage through surgical manipulations and tip suture techniques. In particular, the let-down (LD) and push-down (PD) techniques have been described, although reports of indications and outcomes in the literature are sparse.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed using search terms "preservation" OR "let down" OR "push down" AND "rhinoplasty" on PubMed, Cochrane, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases. Patient demographic information, operative details, and surgical outcomes were recorded. Sub-cohorts for patients who underwent LD and PD techniques were analyzed utilizing Fischer's exact test for categorical variables and Student's t test for continuous variables.

RESULTS

Overall, there were 5967 PR patients in 30 studies in the final analysis, with 307 patients in the PD cohort and 529 patients in the LD cohort. The Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation Questionnaire showed a significant increase of patient satisfaction after PR compared to before PR (62.13 vs 91.14; p < 0.001). There was a significantly lower rate of residual dorsal hump or recurrence of 1.3% (n = 4) in the PD when compared to 4.6% (n = 23) in LD cohorts (p = 0.02). The revision rate of PD (0%, n = 0) was also significantly lower than that of LD (5.0%, n = 25) (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Based on these published articles, it seems that preservation rhinoplasty is safe and efficacious procedure with improved dorsal aesthetic lines, reduced dorsal contour irregularities, and claimed excellent patient satisfaction. In particular, the PD technique has fewer reported complications and revisions than LD approach, although PD is often indicated in patients with smaller dorsal humps.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Common Dorsal Flaws Following Preservation Rhinoplasty: A Systemic Analysis

BACKGROUND

There has recently been a resurgence of interest in preservation rhinoplasty (PR) for dorsal hump elimination or dorsal projection reduction. However, no studies have scrutinized aesthetic outcomes to identify common pattern of flaws seen in published images to aid those with ardent enthusiasm for this technique to become aware of the frequency of these flaws and find ways to reduce imperfections.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed using search terms ("preservation" OR "let down", "push down") AND "rhinoplasty" on PubMed, Cochrane, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases for studies between January 2000 and December 2022. Patient images from these studies were analyzed by three reviewers (MWW, IAC, and BG) for dorsal flaws. Raw interrater agreement percentage and Krippendorff's alpha were calculated to determine interrater reliability. A descriptive and comparative analysis with Fisher's exact test was performed for the aggregate data.

RESULTS

There were 59 patient images with 464 views from 24 studies included for final analysis. Optimal dorsal aesthetic lines (DAL) were noted in 12 patients (20.3%), while optimal profile was observed in 15 patients (25.4%) (p = 0.66). Combined ideal front and profile view of dorsum was not observed on any patients. The most common flaws were DAL irregularities (n = 45; 78.0%), dorsal deviation (n = 32, 54.2%), and residual hump (n = 25, 42.4%). There was excellent interrater agreement.

CONCLUSIONS

While PR may have some advantages, it has shortcomings in outcomes, particularly dorsal irregularities, dorsal deviation, and residual humps. Awareness of these imperfections may compel those performing this procedure to modify their techniques and improve their results.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

High and Low Septal Strip Excision on Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty to Fix Septal Deviation

ABSTRACT

Rhinoplasty is one of the leading procedures among aesthetic and plastic surgery interventions. Dorsal hump and nasal deviation deformities are prevalent among the general population. Patients who have both dorsal hump and nasal deviation deformities can be considered challenging for rhinosurgeons. Dorsal preservation techniques are of great interest for obtaining better and more satisfactory aesthetic and functional results. Dorsal strip excision plays a considerable part in dorsal preservation techniques. In this study, the author defines a new method that includes excisions of low and high septal strips in the subdorsal area to straighten deviation in the lower part of the distal septum and fix it on the middle line. The present study was designed as retrospective. Sixty-nine patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and their records were assessed (49 females and 20 males). The patients who were included in the study have undergone surgery with high and low septal strip excision through either push-down or let-down techniques. Patients were evaluated using the "Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation" (ROE) questionnaire before and 12 months after surgery. The follow-up period ranged between 12 and 20 months (median, 16.3 months). All procedures were performed by the same surgeon between October 1, 2018, and April 1, 2020. The ROE scores ranged between 82 and 100 points after 1 year. The initial median ROE score was 56.5, and it increased to 93.00 points 12 months after surgery (P < 0.001). Patient satisfaction was excellent in 88.76% of the included patients. The combination of let- and push-down methods with low to high septal strip excision resulted in favorable outcomes in patients who had concomitant hump and septal deviation deformities. This new approach presents a suitable and easy method to the surgeons who are interested in dorsal preservation rhinoplasty.