title: Tragal cartilage grafts in rhinoplasty: a viable alternative in the graft-depleted patient.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a simple technique for harvesting tragal cartilage and describe its use in rhinoplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rhinoplasties performed between January 2005 and June 2007 in which tragal cartilage grafts were utilized by the senior author (CSC) were reviewed to assess type of graft, preservation of tragal contour, and donor-site morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tragal cartilage grafts were used in three primary and three secondary rhinoplasty patients. Postoperative follow-up ranged from six months to 12 months. Tragal cartilage was used as five alar contour grafts, one lateral crural onlay graft, one dorsal onlay graft, and one infratip lobule graft. Tragal cartilage was used to close the septal perforation of one patient. Tragal contour was preserved in all patients, and there were no complications noted with this procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The tragus provides a simple, convenient alternative source of cartilage for rhinoplasty in graft-depleted patients.
authors.affiliation: Gunter Center for Aesthetics & Cosmetic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75231, USA.
authors.forename: C Spencer
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: DeFatta
mesh_terms: D004425:Ear Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D009667:Nose Deformities, Acquired / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome