Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Vau l t C o n t o u r an d
Stabilization
Milos Kovacevic, MDa,*,1, Jochen Wurm, MDb,1
KEYWORDS
Spreader flap techniques Spreader flaps Spreader grafts Inverted V deformity Middle vault
Internal nasal valve
KEY POINTS
a
HNO-Praxis am Hanse-Viertel, Gerhofstrasse 2, Hamburg 20354, Germany; b Department of Otolaryngology,
Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Erlangen, Waldstrasse 1, Erlangen 91054, Germany
1
Both authors contributed equally to this work.
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: info@dr-kovacevic.de
facialplastic.theclinics.com
Reconstruction of the middle nasal vault after nasal hump removal is almost always necessary to
prevent postoperative functional and cosmetic imperfections including the inverted V deformity.
Spreader grafts are the gold standard for restoring the stability and contour of the middle vault after
hump reduction; recently, spreader flaps have become reliable treatment alternative in select
cases.
Improvements and modifications of the basic spreader flap technique allow precise adjustments to
middle vault contour to further expand the utility of spread flap reconstruction; however, appropriate patient selection is crucial to a satisfactory surgical outcome.
SURGICAL TECHNIQUE
Basic Spreader Flaps
For surgical exposure, we routinely use the
external rhinoplasty approach. This begins with
degloving the entire skeletal framework in a subsuperficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS)
dissection plane via a transcolumellar incision.
Dissections should be carried out in a supraperichondrial and subperiosteal planes, respectively.
Starting from the anterior septal angle, bilateral
submucosal tunnels are then elevated on the undersurface of the ULCseptal cartilage junction
and extended cranially beneath the bony vault. A
component cartilaginous hump reduction is
then begun by sharply dividing the ULC from the
dorsal septum while preserving the underlying mucosa. In this manner, the overprojected ULC are
not trimmed and can be used for spreader flap creation. Next, sharp reduction of the cartilaginous
dorsal septum is performed to establish the new
middle vault profile line. After resecting the cartilaginous septal hump, fibrous attachments of the
ULC to the undersurface of the nasal bones are
released in the midline using blunt dissection
over an approximately 0.5-cm wide strip on both
sides. Because the ULC release is confined to
the area of planned bony hump resection, the detached cephalic ends of the ULC (which may
extend as far as 1012 mm beneath the rhinion)
are protected during hump reduction, whereas
the more lateral bony attachments of the ULC to
the nasal bones remain intact. By preserving the
uppermost extensions of the ULC, minor postoperative contour irregularities of the open roof can
sometimes be prevented. After separation of the
ULC and elevation of their perichondrium in 0.5to 1-cm wide strip, both medial edges can be
invaginated medially as turn-in flaps and temporarily positioned alongside the dorsal septum for
suture fixation. Our method for flap fixation differs
from previously described techniques. First, the
distal rolled ends of the ULC are grasped and
pulled caudally while they are sutured to the upper
(caudal) border of dorsal septum (Figs. 1 and 2).
As a rule, we find that 1 internal fixation suture is
adequate for secure fixation. However, in cases
of skeletal instability at the keystone area, a
second suture can be added cranially for additional stabilization. We prefer a 4-0 Polydioxanone
suture for flap fixation. The knot is buried between
the ULC and septum to prevent visible contour irregularities. Moreover, hiding the knot keeps a
PATIENT SELECTION
The indications for using spreader flaps include
previously unoperated noses with a prominent
dorsal hump, tension nose deformity, or a mild to
moderate crooked nose with a dorsal hump. In
all cases, there must be sufficient vertical excess
of the ULC to allow for sufficient in-folding while
still maintaining adequate projection to establish
the newly created profile line. This requirement is
usually only met in patients with sizable rhinion
humps. Spreader flaps are seldom possible after
middle vault reconstruction. Finally, our experience has also shown that a subgroup of primary
rhinoplasty patients with dorsal overprojection
may not make good candidates for spreader flap
reconstruction. These patients include those with
pronounced tension nose deformities, markedly
crooked noses, saddle nose deformities, and
those with significant mid face asymmetry. In this
patient population, the need for spreader grafts
(and the additional donor cartilage) should be
included as part of the initial surgical plan.
POSTPROCEDURAL CARE
Upon completion, the transcolumellar and marginal incisions are closed and bilateral septal
splints are inserted for 1 week. Nasal packing
is usually unnecessary, but a thermoplastic splint
is applied to the nasal dorsum. Prophylactic antibiotics are administered as a single dose during
CASE STUDIES
Case One
A young white woman presented for primary rhinoplasty. Examination revealed a long nose with a
prominent bony cartilaginous hump and a ptotic
nasal tip (Fig. 7A, B). Endonasal examination
revealed deviation of the nasal septum.
Using an external rhinoplasty approach, we first
resected the cartilaginous and bony humps while
preserving both ULC. After septoplasty, medial
(parasagittal), transverse, and lateral osteotomies
Fig. 7. (A, B) Preoperative frontal a lateral views. Note the long nose, bony-cartilaginous hump, and wide ptotic
nasal tip. (C, D) Postoperative frontal and lateral views at 21 months. Note the strong and smooth middle vault
with aesthetically pleasing dorsal aesthetic lines and no evidence of inverted V deformity.
Case Two
A young white woman presented for primary rhinoplasty. Examination revealed a C-shaped nose
Fig. 8. (A, B) Preoperative frontal and lateral views. Note the C-shaped nose, dorsal asymmetry, and broad overprojected nasal tip. (C, D) Postoperative frontal a lateral views at 14 months. Note the straight dorsum, adequate middle
vault width, and absence of inverted V deformity. The patient also had satisfactory internal nasal valve patency.
REFERENCES
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