Rib Cartilage Grafting For Revision Rhinoplasties

The nose possesses extremely delicate anatomy which is responsible for its shape, proportions, and position. To reconstruct this anatomy accurately, in some cases it may be necessary to resort to cartilage grafts obtained from the ribs. In this article, we will see why the rib is chosen as a source of grafts, what advantages it has, how it is used and what complications may arise.

Why are rib grafts used in some secondary rhinoplasty cases?
The use of grafts is usually necessary for patients with a history of unsatisfactory rhinoplasties or previous trauma. This is because revision patients typically need to add volume to their nose in order to supplement or replace the anatomical structures that have been damaged. The problem is that in order to do this, a large amount of cartilage is necessary.

Under normal conditions, the nasal septum and ears offer sufficient quantity and quality of cartilage to meet the needs of a typical secondary rhinoplasty. Both structures offer between 2 an..