A perichondrial flap for functional purposes in rhinoplasty

Recent trends in rhinoplasty techniques have focused on anatomic repair as well as respect and preservation of soft tissue integrity. In this article, the authors describe the use of a perichondrial flap, then discuss technical considerations and clinical perspectives of their advantages. A perichondrial flap helps to restore the stability of the upper lateral cartilage, to achieve extra padding, and to secure osteocartilagenous grafts. The method described has been used for 60 consecutive patients. The majority of these patients were satisfied with the results. To obtain detailed information about the perichondrial flap, the authors performed an anatomic study of 13 cadavers. The average thickness of the perichondrium was 186 +/- 146.1 mu m (range, 90-596 mu m). On the basis of the results, it was concluded that elevation of the perichondrial flap with loupe magnification could improve the outcome of rhinoplasty.