The High Strip Technique in Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty

Saman M, Saban Y.

What this paper says

A review of the high septal strip approach to dorsal preservation, stressing that the technique does not suit all noses and that careful patient selection is required.

Overview

Dorsal preservation lowers the hump while keeping the natural surface of the bridge, and has become popular again in recent years. The authors set out their preferred version, the high septal strip approach, in which cartilage is removed from high beneath the bridge so it can settle. They state this allows precise lowering while keeping the natural contour and limiting tissue damage.

Sections of note

Article type: narrative review of a technique, part of a clinics series. No patient numbers or outcome data are reported.
Stated caution: preservation is not suitable for all nasal types, so patient selection matters.
Preferred technique: the high septal strip approach.
Stated advantages: precise lowering of the bridge, maintained natural contour, minimized tissue damage and enhanced long term outcomes.
The authors emphasize meticulous surgical execution.
They also emphasize postoperative care as critical to results.
No complication rates, hump recurrence rates or follow up data appear in the abstract.

What it means for a patient

The high strip removes cartilage from just under the bridge, as opposed to low strip techniques that cut nearer the base, and the two behave differently.
Patient selection is stated first, meaning not every hump is a candidate for this approach.
The claimed long term benefit is stated rather than measured. No recurrence or revision data is given.
The abstract carries no findings. It reports no patient numbers or outcomes.

Why this paper matters

Which septal strip to remove, high or low, is one of the live technical disagreements within preservation rhinoplasty, and each carries different consequences for stability and hump recurrence. Documenting the case for the high strip contributes to that debate. Comparative outcome data between the two remains scarce.

Terms

Dorsal preservation rhinoplasty: lowering the bridge while keeping its natural surface intact.
High septal strip: cartilage removed from high beneath the bridge to let it settle lower.
Low septal strip: cartilage removed nearer the base of the septum for the same purpose.
Nasal dorsum: the bridge of the nose, running from between the eyes to the tip.
Patient selection: deciding which patients are suitable candidates for a technique.

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

From the abstract

“In this article, we explore the nuances of dorsal preservation (DP) rhinoplasty, a technique that has seen resurgence in popularity in recent years. We discuss the importance of careful patient selection, as DP is not suitable for all nasal types. Our preferred technique, the high septal strip approach, allows for…”

Excerpt; the full abstract is on PubMed.