Complications of Diced Cartilage Wrapped in Blood Products in Rhinoplasty: A Meta-Analysis.

[BACKGROUND] Diced cartilage wrapped in blood products has been increasingly advocated in rhinoplasty. The complication is a major concern of the procedure. This meta-analysis aims to assess the complication rates and revision rate of this procedure.

[METHODS] All original articles published up to March 2022 were searched through PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Additional articles were added through reference searching. Articles were included for meta-analysis according to inclusion criteria. Data were extracted by 2 individuals independently and the analysis was conducted through Stata 12.0 software (StataCorp., College Station, Texas).

[RESULTS] A total of 559 articles were initially found and an additional 1 article was added through reference searching. A total of 11 articles including 469 patients were included for meta-analysis. The results indicated that the total complication rates were 1.2% for irregularity, 0.2% for visibility, 0.7% for deviation, 1% for erythema, and 0% for graft resorption, depression, and infection. The revision rate was 1.2%.

[CONCLUSIONS] The overall complication and revision rates of diced cartilage wrapped in blood products in rhinoplasty were relatively low. Considering the limited number of related studies, a larger sample size, long-term follow-up, clear diagnostic criteria, and detailed methods of measurement are expected in further research.