Rhinoplasty Septal Cartilage Harvest and Reconstruction: The 4 Clicks

Overview

This is a technique article without a patient series. It frames structural grafts such as the septal extension graft as key to lasting tip position, and details a step-by-step approach to removing septal cartilage in a way that yields the most usable graft while allowing the deviated septum to be straightened.

Sections of note

• Structural grafts, especially septal extension grafts, maintain tip position and projection with minimal long-term change.
• The harvest is systematised into four defined steps (the "clicks").
• The method aims to maximise graft material and correct septal deviation at the same time.
• No outcome data are given in the abstract.

What it means for a patient

• The septum is the first and best source of graft cartilage in most rhinoplasties; how it is harvested affects both the amount available and the stability of the nose.
• This is a how-to for surgeons from a high-volume Dallas practice.

Why this paper matters

It codifies a routine but critical step from an influential structural-rhinoplasty group. Limits: technique description only, no data.

Terms

• Septal cartilage: the sheet of cartilage dividing the nasal passages, harvested for grafts.
• L-strut: the L-shaped rim of septum that must be left to support the nose.
• Septal extension graft: cartilage fixed to the septum to set tip projection and rotation.
• Septal deviation: a bent septum causing obstruction or a crooked nose.