A new therapeutic strategy for lengthening severe short nose.
BACKGROUND
Correction of severe short nose is a distressing problem for plastic surgeons. It is difficult to simultaneously lengthen the 3 components of the nose, which are the outer skin envelope, the framework, and the mucosal lining. We developed a new method to lengthen the nose more than 10 mm definitively and safely, which was performed using the technique of distraction osteogenesis.


METHODS
The procedure involves a 2-stage operation. At the first stage, boat-shaped iliac bone is grafted on the dorsum. More than 6 months later, the second-stage operation is performed. The grafted bone is cut horizontally in the center, and the distraction device is applied to it. Distraction osteogenesis is started after a latency period of 14 days and performed at a rate of 0.6 mm once daily. The distraction device is replaced by a special attachment (Ribbond; Ribbond Inc) during the 3-month consolidation period.


RESULTS
Our method was applied for 2 patients with congenitally and posttraumatic severe short nose, respectively. The total amount of distraction osteogenesis was 12.6 and 13.8 mm, respectively. The profiles of both of the patients improved, and they were satisfied with the results.


CONCLUSIONS
The method we developed is an entirely new approach to the correction of severe short nose. Furthermore, it was determined that nonvascularized grafted iliac bone could be lengthened by distraction osteogenesis. Our new method was a very effective and definitive technique and could become a mainstream procedure for the correction of severe short nose.
Rikimaru
Hideaki
H
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume City, Japan.
Kiyokawa
Kensuke
K
Watanabe
Koichi
K
Koga
Noriyuki
N
Nishi
Yukiko
Y
D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D001864:Bone Wires; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000601:surgery; D009666:Nose / Q000002:abnormalities; D009667:Nose Deformities, Acquired / Q000601:surgery; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011095:Polyethylenes; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011095:Polyethylenes; C084063:RIBBOND