Dr. Jay Calvert Spreder Grafts

Rhinoplasty Technique – Spreader Grafts

Spreader Grafts in Rhinoplasty Operations

Patients are able to acquire a great deal about rhinoplasty just by surfing the internet.

However, understanding the information is a different story.  

In this article, we will discuss spreader grafts.  

This will hopefully help patients understand this valuable technique that I employ about 30% of the time in primary rhinoplasty, and about 90% of the time in complex secondary rhinoplasty.

The internal valve is a functional anatomical part of the nasal passage responsible for guiding airflow from the outside world through the nostril and back through the nose to the pharynx.  

The valve is bordered by the septum, the cartilaginous middle vault (specifically the most inferior portion of the upper lateral cartilage), the pyriform aperture, and the head of the inferior turbinate.    

Sometimes, this anatomy is not able to function because of trauma, congenital twisting or deviation of the septum, enlargement of the inferior turbinate, narrowing of the pyriform aperture (due to surgery, trauma, or congenital arrangement), etc.

Additionally, the middle vault is also responsible aesthetically for creating the dorsal aesthetic lines that make the shape of the bridge of the nose.  

With damage to the middle vault from trauma or surgery, the dorsal aesthetic lines can be disrupted.  

They can also be congenitally in an unfavorable position.  

This makes for an unfavorable arrangement that doesn’t work and doesn’t look good.

Spreader grafts can save the day.  

These match stick sized grafts of cartilage can open the internal valve and create the dorsal aesthetic lines at the same time.  

To see a video of this being done in a very extreme case, have a look here:

These grafts are powerful for aesthetics and for function.  

For more information, please call the office or email us at [email protected].

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