The Role of Outfracture in Correcting Post-Rhinoplasty Nasal Obstruction

Post-rhinoplasty nasal obstruction is often related to narrowing in the region of the nasal valve. Correction of this obstruction can include inferior turbinectomy, septoplasty spreader grafts and nasal valvuloplasty. The authors have seen cases of severe valve stenosis related to infracture after osteotomy which did not respond to any of the aforementioned procedures. These patients were treated with revision osteotomy with outfracture. We discuss patient selection and surgical technique for revision osteotomy with outfracture as well as a cadaver dissection demonstrating the effects of infracture and outfracture on valve area. The clinical results, based on patient satisfaction and pre- and postoperative photographs, are presented. Revision osteotomy with outfracture should be included in the surgeon's armamentarium for the treatment of post-rhinoplasty nasal obstruction.