Immediate effects of different steps of rhinoplasty on nasolabial angle and tip projection.

Nasolabial angle (NLA) and nasal tip projection (NTP) play an important role in aesthetic nose surgery. Little deviations can determine success and failure. The goal of this study was to analyze the immediate effect of different steps of open rhinoplasty on NLA and NTP. In this prospective single-blind study, 50 consecutive rhinoplasty cases were considered. The study consisted of 38 women and 12 men. The mean age was 28 years, ranging from 17 to 37 years. A standard life-size photograph was taken in each step of a classic open rhinoplasty during surgery. Nasolabial angle and NTP were measured and analyzed. Nasolabial angle: average increase after skeletonization (2.26 degrees), strut insertion (4 degrees), and tip spanning (0.17 degrees), whereas cephalic resection caused a decrease (1.9 degrees). Nasal tip projection: average increase after skeletonization (0.1 mm), strut insertion (0.31 mm), and tip spanning (0.84 mm), whereas cephalic resection caused a decrease (0.53 mm). Whereas strut insertion caused the highest mean increase in NLA, tip spanning was the most effective regarding change of NTP. Expectably cephalic resection was associated with decrease in NLA and NTP.