Rib cartilage grafts ‘may improve rhinoplasty’

Patients may be more satisfied after rhinoplasty procedures in future following an advance that utilises rib cartilage as a grafting material.

Rhinoplasty sometimes produces less-than-perfect results because experts are yet to develop the ideal grafting material.

A patient’s own cartilage is often too thin or inadequate to suffice, but experts at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston believe that cartilage taken from a patient’s ribs may provide the solution.

Out of 357 patients who underwent primary or revision rhinoplasty using cartilage taken from their ribs, 94.2 per cent claimed to be satisfied with the results.

Patients were typically happy with their appearance, ability to breathe and quality of life and there were no allergic reactions to the grafts.

Writing in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, the researchers concluded that the study showed “safety and reliability” and that rib cartilage “should be considered as an alternative or even a primary grafting material”.