Diced ear cartilage with perichondrial attachment in rhinoplasty: a new concept

Hafezi F, Bateni H, Naghibzadeh B, Nouhi AH, Emami A, Fatemi SJ, Pedram M, Mousavi SJ.

What this paper says

In 16 rabbits, diced ear cartilage that kept its perichondrium attached gained significant weight over 3 months (P = .019) after implantation, while matched diced cartilage without perichondrium did not, suggesting the attached membrane keeps the graft alive.

Overview

Diced cartilage is a flexible graft for building up the nose, but pieces can shift, are hard to shape and may shrink. The perichondrium is the thin membrane that nourishes cartilage. The authors tested in rabbits whether leaving it attached to the diced pieces improves survival, comparing against plain diced cartilage in the same animal.

Sections of note

Animal study; 16 rabbits.
Ear cartilage removed from one ear per rabbit, divided in two, weighed and diced; perichondrium left attached on one piece only.
Both samples placed in separate pockets on the animal's back.
Samples removed and weighed after 3 months.
Starting weights did not differ (P = .213).
At 3 months the perichondrium-attached group showed significant growth in weight (P = .019).
The authors report vascularization of the attached samples.

What it means for a patient

Cartilage graft survival, not just placement, determines whether the result lasts, and this study points to a way to improve it.
This is a rabbit experiment on the back, not the nose, and it measured weight, not shape or clinical appearance.
Whether the same holds in people, and whether the extra bulk is useful cartilage or scar, is not shown.

Why this paper matters

Resorption is the main unknown with diced cartilage grafts. This experiment supports a modification that could reduce it. Human data, longer follow-up and histologic confirmation of what the weight gain consists of are needed and not reported in the abstract.

Terms

Diced cartilage: cartilage cut into tiny cubes so it can be molded.
Conchal cartilage: the bowl-shaped cartilage of the outer ear, a common graft source.
Perichondrium: the thin membrane covering cartilage that supplies its nutrients.
Resorption: the body breaking down and absorbing a graft, causing it to shrink.
Vascularization: growth of new blood vessels into a graft.
Nasoskeletal augmentation: building up the bone and cartilage framework of the nose.

Summary written by rhinoplasty.cc from the abstract, 2026-09-08; not medical advice. The authors' own abstract follows.

From the abstract

“Diced cartilage is a valuable material that has recently been added to the graft options in rhinoplasty. Shaping, fixation, and resorption are the main concerns with this material. Perichondrially attached diced conchal cartilage may be a new possibility to solve some of these problems. Objectives: The authors…”

Excerpt; the full abstract is on PubMed.