Suture lift of the nasal tip

Abstract

Suspension suturing is a frequently employed technique in various kinds of facial plastic surgery, including rhinoplasty, where its use has been reported by multiple authors. Many patients who want rhinoplasty have a dorsal hump with under-rotation and under-projection of the tip. In such cases, a full rhinoplasty may well not be needed. Suture modification of the nasal cartilages is a fundamental technique for reshaping and repositioning them. Joseph described fixing the tip of the nose to the lower septum by means of a suture, and since then, there have been a plethora of methods involving suturing described in the literature. Thought suture techniques are ubiquitous; they typically complement grafts or tissue excision. Sutures are not usually considered a stand-alone method for performing a rhinoplasty. However, this need not be the case. In carefully chosen candidates, suturing alone may be appropriate and may be performed in a clinic using local anaesthetics. Recovery time is minimal. Given the fact that the principal anatomical structures that make up the nose are unaffected, the procedure avoids key hazards, such as contour irregularities after excising the underlying lower lateral cartilages, or obstructing the internal nasal valve by trimming the upper lateral cartilages. In this chapter, suture lift of the nasal tip is presented.