Soft and Firm Alloplastic Implants in Rhinoplasty: Why, When and How to Use Them: A Review of 311 Cases

Background Modern rhinoplasty is not just a reduction procedure. An optimal nasal esthetic result occasionally requires augmenting the nasal tip, the dorsum or the lateral wall with autografts or alloplasts. A large number of nasal implant types have been reported in the medical literature. Objective The goal of this article is to demystify the role and indications of nasal implants in rhinoplasty. As well, it offers both the novice and experienced nasal surgeon a basic, simplified and organized approach to the use of soft and firm nasal implants in rhinoplasty. Methods This article presents the authors experience with 311 rhinoplasties using both soft and firm alloplastic implants. The indications for both types of alloplasts are discussed, the surgical technique detailed and the outcomes analyzed. Results A total of 311 nasal implant cases were reviewed. This series revealed a low incidence of postoperative infection (5.57% for soft implants and 0.1% for the firm ones). The revision rate was 2.7% for the soft implants group and 7.1% for the firm implants group. 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.