The Aesthetic and Functional Roles of Spreader Flap in Primary Rhinoplasty

Abstract

Dorsal hump resection was considered as the most ordinary part of rhinoplasty. It is obviously noticed that when a humpectomy is performed in a primary rhinoplasty, some surgeons underestimate the middle third (internal valve) reconstruction resulting in an inverted-V deformity. Although spreader graft is the gold standard for middle vault reconstruction, attention is turned to returning a portion of the hump following dorsal reduction in an attempt to reconstruct the middle vault. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of spreader flap in primary rhinoplasties. This study included 40 patients classified into 3 groups as follows: (1) type I—mild cartilaginous hump, (2) type II—moderate cartilaginous hump, and (3) type III—huge cartilaginous hump. The results are satisfactory in most cases regarding the aesthetic and functional outcomes. Using auto-spreader flaps is shown to be simple, reproducible, and effective in shaping the midvault while keeping the internal valve intact.