Tip Plasty of Plunging Nasal Tip through Endonasal Approach: Resection of Cephalic Lateral Crus & Caudal Septum and Suturing

Song, In Gook; Choi, Jae Hoon; Lee, Jin Hyo; Park, Sung Gyu

Abstract

Usually the open rhinoplasty is used to correct the plunging nasal tip, but it can increase patient's psychological trauma and lengthen the operation time. In this study, the authors present a simple and effective surgical procedure to correct the plunging nasal tip with minimal morbidity. Between April 2005 and February 2006, we performed our nasal tip plasty in 6 patients who were concerned about the long nose with plunging nasal tip. We used the suture method after cephalic resection of the alar cartilage and caudal resection of the septal cartilage through endonasal approach. After that, we evaluated the nasal profile and compared the result with preoperative photographs. We followed these patients for 1 to 4 months. We could achieved good nasal tip projection, improvement of the columellolabial angle and shortening of long nose. The result were relatively satisfactory and there were no complications such as visible scar, alar deformity or asymmetry. Our tip plasty through endonasal approach could reform the plunging nasal tip properly and easily without external scar. We believe that this procedure could be applicable for correcting the plunging nasal tip and an alternative technique which helps to form the harmonious nasal profile with augmentation rhinoplasty.