Nose bent again after deviated-septum surgery — can septal cartilage be replaced with rib cartilage?
2024. 10. 11.
When the bridge bends again after deviated-septum surgery — the approach of replacing septal cartilage with rib, the process of straightening by reinforcing the side rather than full removal, and harvest-site side effects to know in advance.
Key points
- If septal cartilage was already used in deviated-septum surgery, revision may be a state where rib cartilage is needed to straighten the septum.
- Rather than replacing the septum wholesale, reinforcing the side with rib cartilage can be considered — but the actual method and correction scope are decided after checking the remaining septum and the bend's cause.
- Using rib cartilage adds harvest-process scar·pain, pneumothorax and other possibilities on top of general rhinoplasty side effects — good to know in advance.
"I had deviated-septum surgery and my nose bent again. At the revision consult they suggested removing septal cartilage and replacing it with rib cartilage — are there side effects?"
A question received in an actual consultation. This person had septoplasty at a plastic surgery clinic and breathed fine, but the bridge didn't fall in a straight line, so they were looking into revision. Osteotomy had already been done so the nasal bones were straight — the issue was the bridge line below the nasal bones, i.e., the dorsal cartilage area. They wondered whether septal cartilage could be replaced with rib cartilage, and whether that would improve the dorsal cartilage to straight.
This article organizes the answer to that question.
01
Why is this seen as a state needing rib cartilage?
Deviated-septum surgery uses septal cartilage. If, like the questioner, the septum has already been used, there may not be enough material left inside the nose to straighten the bent septum in revision. So in these cases, it reads as a state where rib cartilage is needed to set the septum straight.
So the answer to "can septal cartilage be replaced with rib cartilage" is that in a revision situation where the septum was already used, a direction of reinforcing with rib cartilage gets reviewed. How which material is used can be seen in more detail in the autologous rib cartilage guide.
02
Is the septal cartilage completely removed and replaced?
Not exactly. Rather than fully removing the septum, a process of reinforcing the side of the septum with rib cartilage to make it straight appears to be needed.
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Method | Not full septal removal — rib reinforcement at the side |
| Purpose | Setting the bent septum straight |
| Expected change | Aims to improve the bend in the dorsal cartilage area |
If, like the questioner, the nasal bones are relatively straight and the cartilage area below is bent, a direction of improving the bridge line's bend through reinforcement can be expected. However, this isn't an explanation guaranteeing a perfectly straight result.
03
What side effects should be known when using rib cartilage?
In surgery using rib cartilage, on top of the side effects that can occur in general rhinoplasty, things that can arise in the harvest process get added.
- General rhinoplasty side effects — things that can occur in nose surgery apply as a baseline.
- Harvest-site scar — a scar can remain from the rib cartilage harvest process.
- Pain·pneumothorax possibility — there is pain from the harvest process, and possibilities like pneumothorax get added.
Since revision has more to check than first surgery, it's good to decide after fully consulting on which material and method the current nose state needs. What gets checked in revision is organized in the revision rhinoplasty guide.
04
Summary — straightened by reinforcement, not replacement
If the nose bent again after deviated-septum surgery, the amount of septum already used and the cause of the current bend must be checked first. In revision, rather than replacing the septum wholesale, reinforcing the side with rib cartilage can be considered — but this isn't the answer for every case. It's important to decide after being told the expected scope and rib harvest side effects together.
If you're curious which material your nose state needs, it can be checked directly in a 1:1 video consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to common questions patients ask before a consultation.
If the nose bends again after septoplasty, can septal cartilage be replaced with rib?
Does reinforcing with rib cartilage also improve the dorsal cartilage line straight?
What side effects are there when using rib cartilage?
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.