Nose Augmentation Using Rib Cartilage

A Nose Augmentation Using Rib Cartilage Can Correct Problems Associated With Asian Noses.

Nose Augmentation Using Rib Cartilage

A nose augmentation using rib graft can correct these problems giving balance and proportion to your face. The makeup of the Asian nose differs in many ways compared to other races. If you’re Asian, your nose may have the following anatomical characteristics:

First, low dorsum height (flat nose);
Second, short columella;
Third, thick soft tissue nose tip covering;
Or under-projected nose tip.

The nose is situated in the front and center of your face and is the foundation for this “perception” of aesthetic balance. With the help of an experienced and skilled surgeon, this procedure can enhance your natural beauty!

The Usual Synthetic Implants – Nose Augmentation

This procedure usually uses a silicone implant to correct the problems associated with Asian noses. Unfortunately, a lot of patients experience silicone-related complications, which trigger soft tissue contraction (shrinkage) and deform or disfigure the already delicate structure of the nose.

In addition, the rate of revision or correction surgery is increasing because patients are now aware that it is not enough to “ONLY” have a nose implant but that the outcome should be more harmonious or balanced with the patient’s overall facial structure. In this condition, using rib cartilage can give strong support and an ample amount of material to correct a deformed nasal structure.

A nose augmentation, if done to copy someone else’s nose and not done to balance your facial features, will result in an unnatural, unpleasant beauty!

That is why it is extremely important to choose not only a surgeon who has experience and skills but one who also understands the principles of beauty and aesthetics!

Risk of Nose Augmentation Surgery

Similar to every major surgery, augmentation rhinoplasty comes with risks like bleeding, infection and a negative reaction to anesthesia.

Additional potential risks related to this procedure include:

Breathing problems
Nosebleeds
Lasting numbness around your nose
A small chance of an uneven-appearing nose
Pain, swelling or discoloration that may continue to persist
Scarring

Discuss with your surgeon about how these risks relate to you.

Before Nose Augmentation Surgery

In preparation for the surgery, you are going to be required to:

Take a lab test – medical problems have to be controlled before surgery
Wait six months for surgery in case of a previous infection
Stop smoking
Stop taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements since they can increase bleeding
Undergo assessment of tissue pliability

Nose Augmentation Procedure – Harvesting the Rib Cartilage

Cartilage is commonly harvested from the fifth or sixth rib.

Rib Graft Source on Nose Augmentation

Harvesting cartilage involves a little bit of scarring on the chest wall which is a major patient concern. This will result in minor complications in a patient’s acceptance of a nose augmentation surgery.

For this reason, in female patients, the incision is done at the inframammary fold to decrease scar mark. See figure below.

Infra-mammary Incision for Nose Augmentation

The length of the incision will depend on which rib is harvested. The length of the incision for the fifth and sixth rib is 2 cm – 4 cm at the middle of the infra mammary fold.

In males, the incision is normally done directly over the preferred rib to facilitate dissection.

After skin incision, the dissection is performed along the muscle plane to expose the rib. From here, the surgeon can harvest the required amount of cartilage. Next, the wound is tested for any noticeable air leak and skin closure is performed using dermal sutures or Steri-Strips.

The figure below shows a harvested rib cartilage.

Harvested Rib Cartilage Sample used for Infra-mammary Incision for Nose Augmentation

Nose Augmentation Procedure – Carving and Dicing the Cartilage

Carving and dicing, in layman’s term, simply means the process of molding the harvested rib into the required structure (graft) that will be placed on your nose to correct the problems associated with an Asian nose.

Carving and Dicing Rib Cartilage for Nose Augmentation

The exact shape and size of the graft have been pre-determined by assessing the recipient site on the nose during the procedure. This is a very delicate process and can only be performed by a well-trained surgeon.

Nose Augmentation with Rib Graft Procedure

This procedure involves the following steps:

Step 1. Anesthesia

Anesthesia is administered so you will be comfortable while the surgery is going on.

Step 2. The Incision. Open VS Closed.

This procedure has two basic types, open and closed.

Closed rhinoplasty, also called as endonasal rhinoplasty, involves an incision inside the nostrils, giving you no visible skin incisions. After the incision is created, the skin is lifted from the underlying cartilage and bone. The graft can then be positioned.

Open rhinoplasty, also called external rhinoplasty, involves an incision across the columella, the thin strip of tissue that divides the nostrils. With this incision, the skin that covers the nasal bones and cartilages is carefully lifted, enabling the placement of the graft.

Step 3. Graft Placement

As mentioned above rib graft is one of the best solutions to correct a flat nose, a short columella, and an under-projected tip.
Why the rib?

Autologous tissue (tissue obtained from the same individual and most compatible)
Maximal volume to use
Maximally increases the height and length of the tip of the nose (in case of additional tip surgery)
Fewer complications (infection, extrusion)

At this stage of the procedure, your surgeon will fix the graft to parts of your nose. One or a few pre-formed grafts may be needed to achieve the desired shape. In addition, your surgeon may also fix your nose tip using the same harvested rib cartilage. The figure below shows different pre-formed grafts.

Step 4. Incision Closure

After the graft has been positioned to its ideal shape, the nasal skin and tissue are repositioned and incisions are closed.

Step 5. Recovery

For several days, gauze packing may support the nose while healing takes place.

As post-surgery swelling decreases within a few weeks, it might take as much as a year for your new nose shape to completely develop. Through this time you will observe progressive improvements in the appearance of your nose as it transforms into a more permanent shape.

Swelling may reappear and intensify in the morning during the first year after your surgery.

Your surgeon or your nurse will give you specific instructions that may include:

First, the best way to care for the surgical site.
Second, medicine to apply or take orally to assist recovery and decrease the risk of infection
Thirdly, Certain conditions watch out for at the surgical site or in your general health
And Lastly, other concerns including the time to follow up with your surgeon.

Take the first step and contact us through our no-cost virtual consultation. During this process, we will recommend options that will work best for you. Every client is different, so our virtual consultants and surgeons tailor the procedure to match each person’s needs.

PRICE AND PACKAGES

Take the first step and contact us through our no-cost virtual consultation. During this process, we will recommend options that will work best for you. Every client is different, so our virtual consultants and surgeons tailor the procedure to match each person’s needs.