PTSM is the biggest plastic surgery symposium organized by American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Due to special circumstances, this year it was hold virtually on 9th October.
One of the main topics of the academic conference was Plastic Surgery – Korea Perspective. The series of lectures, conveyed by the top Korean plastic surgeons, aimed to cover the Korean approach to plastic surgery. Specialists in each plastic surgery branch (rhinoplasty, eye surgery, anti-ageing and breast surgery) presented about the most advanced and effective techniques. JW Plastic Surgery’s Dr. Suh Man Koon represented Korean nose surgery. He presented about “Tips & Tricks of Contracted Short Nose Correction.”
How the contracted short nose should be corrected?
Contracted short nose correction is considered the most difficult rhinoplasty. Therefore, the surgeon must be especially experienced in revision rhinoplasty and obtain a specific know-how he could use in each different case. According to Dr. Suh Man Koon, there are three key factors necessary for fort the successful upturned nose correction:
- Release of the lower lateral cartilages
- Enough release of scar tissue from lower lateral cartilage and overlying skin envelope
- Stable fixation of lengthened lower lateral cartilage.
Only when these conditions are met the successful operation with satisfactory result is possible.
Warping – a side effect autologous cartilage graft. Can we avoid it?
Warping is a serious side effect, common when performing the rhinoplasty with usage of rib or septal cartilage. During his lecture, Dr. Suh presented an effective operation technique to avoid the warping.
Septal extension graft using autogenous rib cartilage requires experience and skilled technique to avoid warping of the graft and to guarantee good result. Dr. Man-Koon Suh shows how the rib cartilage sliced into thin pieces and how they are placed bilaterally to both sides of the septum to avoid warping.
Take a look how lower lateral cartilages are fixed to the graft. It is a wrap-around suture technique.
Can ear cartilage be used for contracted nose correction?
Dr. Suh also explained about the short nose correction technique when an ear cartilage can be used. The technique is called “derotation graft” and results with a very natural, soft and movable nasal tip. Derotation graft is a composite graft that involves the use of ear cartilage and skin graft. Dr. Suh showed the successful effect using this technique. Take a look at the live surgery video below.
Correction of contracted short nose combined with retracted alar is being performed using derotation graft with ear cartilage and composite graft (skin plus cartilage) harvested from triangular fossa of ear. This technique enables dramatic correction of upturned tip and retracted alar while maintaining soft movable nasal tip and avoiding rigid fixed tip.