A man's humped nose treated with donor rib cartilage and filler — can revision restore a straight line? 3 questions

2024. 9. 13.

Three revision concerns from a man who had hump surgery, donor rib cartilage on the tip, and filler injections — each material's position and height changes, planning a straight-line revision, and the criteria for deciding revision timing.

Key points

Donor rib cartilage absorption and tip height changes vary by amount used, position, and fixation method — how much it will lower with time can't be stated flatly.
Separate the material creating tip height from the cause of the sunken bridge through surgical records and examination, then set the revision direction.
Revision timing isn't a fixed date — it's decided by tissue recovery, inflammation, the filler used, and the urgency of correction.

If you had hump surgery but your tip came out higher than expected and a line that was once straight now looks curved, revision naturally comes to mind. And when donor rib cartilage and filler are both inside, questions pile up — "they said rib cartilage doesn't absorb, so will it lower on its own?", "I got filler too — is revision even possible?"

This article organizes the revision concerns of a man who had hump surgery, donor rib cartilage on the tip, and filler injections together, as real questions and answers.

What was the situation? — the actual question

Q. About 2 months ago I had hump surgery and donor rib cartilage surgery on the tip. The doctor who operated also injected filler a few times. He said it was permanent filler, but now 2 months later, despite the filler, it's gone back to how it was. And the tip is too high, with just the end sticking out. My nose was originally straight, but the bridge below the glabella has disappeared — it looks like a feminine curved scooped nose and it's stressing me out.

Organized, the questions are three.

I heard donor rib cartilage doesn't absorb well so the height won't go down — will there be no change?
If the implant in the tip is removed, will the nose look straight? Would it look much lower then?
My nose currently has a scooped shape and I got filler — is revision possible? If so, can it improve to a straight nose?

Does a tip raised with donor rib cartilage lower over time?

The fact that donor rib cartilage was used alone can't determine how much the tip will hold or change. The amount used and position, the processing and fixation method, and the current swelling and tissue state all have to be considered together.

In other words, simply watching and waiting in hopes that "it'll absorb and lower on its own" is hard to call a solution direction in cases like this one where the tip height itself is the concern. The characteristics of each material including donor rib cartilage can be seen in more detail in the materials guide.

Will removing the implant make a straight nose?

An implant isn't placed all the way to the tip. So if the tip is high, what needs to be removed isn't the implant — lowering the rib cartilage in the tip is the direction.

Area	What's inside	Direction when the tip is high
Bridge	Implant (not placed all the way to the tip)	Removing the implant isn't the answer to tip height
Tip	Donor rib cartilage	Consider lowering the tip's rib cartilage

If the lowering is adjusted well, it can look like a straight shape. If only the tip sticks out, distinguishing which material in which area is creating the height is the starting point of revision planning.

I got filler too — is revision possible? From when?

Whether revision is possible and its timing depend on tissue recovery, inflammation, the type and position of filler used, and the urgency of correction. Since this case is at 2 months post-op, rather than picking an arbitrary date the surgical records and current state need to be checked.

Direction-wise, the guidance was that a straight-nose shape could be possible by lowering the tip while filling the sunken area (where the bridge below the glabella disappeared). In other words, a curved line that looks scooped is planned for improvement into a straight line by addressing two directions together — ①lowering the high tip and ②filling the sunken bridge. What gets checked in revision is organized in the revision guide.

Summary — first distinguish which material is where

For a nose containing donor rib cartilage, filler, and an implant together, revision judgment starts with distinguishing which material is in which area and how it's affecting the current shape. After confirming the cause of the tip height and sunken bridge through surgical records and examination, the achievable line and revision timing must be set.

If you're curious which revision direction is possible from your current nasal state, you can get it checked in a 1:1 video consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions patients ask before a consultation.

Doesn't donor rib cartilage absorb and lower the tip?

Changes in donor rib cartilage differ by amount used, position, and fixation method, so it can't be answered uniformly. The cause of the high tip and remaining swelling are checked first, then the needed correction is set.

My tip is high — will removing the implant fix it?

Since an implant isn't placed all the way to the tip, the cause of tip height is likely the rib cartilage in the tip rather than the implant. In that case, a straight shape is planned by adjusting how much the tip's rib cartilage is lowered.

From when is revision possible?

Revision timing is set by tissue recovery, inflammation, the material used, and the correction range needed. Don't treat 6 months as a uniform guarantee — plan based on surgical records and examination.

Responses to treatment and recovery progress vary by individual. Outcomes and side effects vary from person to person. Bleeding, infection, swelling and asymmetry may occur. Please consult our medical team before making a decision.

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