Surgical alar base management with a personal technique: the tightening alar base suture.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the aesthetic result in the nasal base, when sutured using a personal technique, in patients undergoing bimaxillary surgery.


METHODS
Review of 60 cases in which the alar base suture was used during bimaxillary surgery with an average maxillary advancement of 3.5 mm. The patients were measured on cutaneous points and on side view with cephalometric soft-tissue measurements.


RESULTS
The technique of cross-suturing the alar base provided good control on the involuntary movements of the alars that result from maxillary advancement. The frontal view of the patient before and after surgery revealed that good tightening of the nasal base was obtained despite the upper jaw movements. Long-term results appear to be stable.


CONCLUSIONS
This personal technique of nasal alar suturing during bimaxillary surgery appears to be effective in avoiding unaesthetic deformities of the nasal base as well as providing good facial harmony.
Bertossi
Dario
D
Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery Section, Department of Morphological-Biomedical Sciences, University of Verona, Policlininico G. B. Rossi piazzale L. Scuro 37134, Verona, Italy. dario.bertossi@univr.it
Albanese
Massimo
M
Malchiodi
Luciano
L
Procacci
Pasquale
P
Nocini
Pier Francesco
PF
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019767:Maxillofacial Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques