Walking down the street, have you ever found yourself particularly envious of those with small, delicate, and beautiful noses? Be careful! She might have had nasal bridge reduction surgery. So, how much do you know about this procedure? Now, let's dive into the world of nasal bridge reduction surgery.A common feature among Asians is a broad nasal bone with a flat base. For those with notably wide and flat nasal bones, rhinoplasty can alter the width of the bridge, creating a more three-dimensional appearance. Simultaneously, the process of narrowing the nasal bone elevates the nasal dorsum, effectively increasing the bridge's height. The combined effect of these changes significantly improves the appearance of the nose and even the entire face.
II. Components of Comprehensive Nasal Bridge Reduction Techniques
1. Nasal Bone Reshaping: For humped or excessively wide nasal bones, bone shaving is commonly used to reduce height and width. Severe cases of excessive height or width require osteotomy for narrowing.
2. Lateral Cartilage and Septal Cartilage Reshaping: The lateral cartilage lies between the nasal bone and the nasal tip. Together with the septal cartilage, it forms the middle portion of the nasal bridge. Partial resection of both lateral cartilages and the septal cartilage is performed, followed by narrowing and suturing to reduce the width or height of the middle nasal bridge.
3. Nasal Tip Reduction: For mildly enlarged nasal tips, the alar cartilage is reduced using an adduction technique. For more significant hypertrophy, the alar cartilage is incised, repositioned, and adducted.
4. Low Nasal Bridge Augmentation: Elevation is achieved using autologous rib cartilage or silicone implants.
5. Correction of Nasal Lateral Soft Tissue Hypertrophy: Make a skin incision along the anterior border of the lateral crus of the alar cartilage at the nostril margin. Dissect the skin from the underlying alar cartilage. Resect the bulky soft tissue covering the cartilage surface. Then, appropriately resect portions of the upper and lateral aspects of the alar cartilage.Then, within the nostril, excise a rhombic-shaped vestibular skin and nasal mucosa graft from the medial aspect of the alar base, removing excess fatty tissue. Finally, suture the incisions at the nostril margin and the medial alar base.
III. Procedures for Narrowing a Wide Nose
1. For cases with both wide alae and wide nostrils, partial alar base resection and nostril reduction may be cautiously performed. The incision is designed at the alar base and lower alar sulcus. Under local anesthesia, appropriate full-thickness tissue is excised from the alar base, followed by internal rotation and advancement to narrow the nostrils. Layered interrupted sutures are applied.The resulting scar length typically does not exceed 1 cm postoperatively.
2. For patients with wide alar margins, partial excision of the free edge of the alar cartilage may be performed. After reshaping, the incision is sutured to the inner surface of the alar cartilage.
3. For cases with moderately sized nostrils but excessively thick alar cartilage or overly prominent upper alar folds, a skin incision is made along the anterior border of the lateral crus of the alar cartilage. The skin is dissected subcutaneously from the underlying alar cartilage. Excess soft tissue covering the cartilage surface is excised, followed by partial resection of the upper and lateral portions of the alar cartilage.Then, within the nostril, excise a rhombic-shaped vestibular skin and mucosal flap from the medial aspect of the alar base, removing excess fatty tissue. Finally, suture the incision at the nostril margin and the incision on the medial aspect of the alar base. Postoperative scar length for alar base reduction typically does not exceed 1 cm.