Doctors have been searching for the ideal grafting material to use in rhinoplasties and perhaps they have now found it. A person’s own cartilage has often been the best choice, but too often there is not enough of it, or it is too thin, or there may be a problem at the location where it is taken.

The ideal substance should be:

  • Readily available and in large amounts
  • Resistant to infection and to being absorbed by the body
  • Easily shaped and molded for each individual patient
  • Easily integrated into the patient’s facial tissue
  • Not likely to cause any injury or illness in the patient

A research team of people at the University of Texas Medical School and at Facial Plastic Surgery Associates in Houston recently studied the medical records of 357 patients who had had a rhinoplasty between 1984 and 2008. The surgeons had used irradiated rib cartilage from a donor in all cases, although they had mixed it with other substances in some cases. The cartilage was irradiated to help prevent any chance of rejection or resorption after it was placed.

Low Rate of Complications

Researchers found complications in just 3.2 percent of the cases. In a total of 1,025 grafts done over the 24 years, there were just ten instances of warping, nine of infection, ten of resorption, and three of graft movement.

This rate of complications is about the same as the rate when a patient’s own cartilage is used. The study found overall that irradiated rib cartilage was safe and reliable and eliminated the risk of possible problems at a patient’s own donor site if her own cartilage is used. It can also be used when a person’s own cartilage is inadequate.

The researchers concluded that irradiated rib cartilage should be considered when a rhinoplasty graft is needed, and perhaps even regarded as a primary grafting material.

The Best Nose Surgery

Dr. Rai uses only the highest quality materials and the most thoroughly tested technology. His first priorities are your safety and your good cosmetic surgery results. Rhinoplasty is an outpatient procedure designed to give you excellent facial balance and an attractive facial profile. Dr. Rai uses the closed rhinoplasty technique, as it gives more natural-looking results, and the incisions are made inside the nose, which leaves no visible scars on the face.

To learn more about how Dallas rhinoplasty is done, and whether it would be a good option for you, please contact our Dallas, Texas office for a personal consultation with Dr. Rai.