Patient who has a congenital loss of cartilage in the nose. Patient’s nose had small lower cartilage remnants as well as no septal cartilage present. Her case required the use of costal cartilage to support her nasal tip, reconstruct a nasal tip and create a bridge. Overall, patient wanted a natural appearing nose.
Postoperatively the patient’s nose is more than 1 year out from surgery and demonstrates improvement in nasal tip appearance as well as bridge. Costal cartilage is helpful in Asian rhinoplasty and in patients with poor nasal tip support since it provides a solid framework for the nose to be built upon. Septal cartilage and costal cartilage are both made of fibroelastic cartilage which makes the material makeup somewhat similar. Asian rhinoplasty requires the use of support to create shapes and forms within the nasal soft tissue envelope.