title: Bone grafts as a recyclable material in nasal surgeries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate long-term results of septal bone grafting and to show sustainable viability of bone grafts with objective parameters such as computed tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nasal septal bones were used as splinting grafts during septo/rhinoplasty operations in 27 patients (Male=16; Female=11) between 2009 and 2013. Of these, only the 21 patients who were monitored long-term and who had computed tomography (CT) records were included in this investigation. The average duration of monitoring for the patients reported here was 17 (12-37 months) months. Patients were excluded for the following reasons: pregnancy; morbid obesity; uncontrolled diabetes; long-term oral steroid or chemotherapeutic agent use; inflammatory, systemic or immunodeficiency disease or acute local infections at the operative site. Bone graft positions, lengths and respective resorption were evaluated and compared pre-postoperatively for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bone grafts retained 90% of their lengths in 14 of the 21 (66.6%) patients. In other cases, control computed sinus tomography showed four bone grafts at 80%, two grafts with 70%, and one graft retained 60% of the original lengths. None of the grafts showed resorption less than 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bone grafts are reliable grafts and can be used as an alternative to cartilage grafts.
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Sakarya, Turkey. Electronic address: gurkan@kayabasoglu.com.
authors.forename: Gurkan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kayabasoglu
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Sakarya, Turkey. Electronic address: yilmazms@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mahmut Sinan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Istanbul Surgery Hospital, Otolaryngology Department, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: aaltundagkbb@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Aytug
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altundag
authors.affiliation: Amasya University Research and Training Hospital, Otolaryngology Department, Amasya, Turkey. Electronic address: melihcayonu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cayonu
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Sakarya, Turkey. Electronic address: drfuatvarli@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ali Fuat
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Varlı
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Sakarya, Turkey. Electronic address: guvenmehmet28@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guven
mesh_terms: D064592:Autografts; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055171:Nasal Cartilages / Q000637:transplantation; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Bone graft; L strut; Nasal septum; Recycle; Septal surgery