Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty Effect on Internal Nasal Valve and Nasal Function

Introduction: Dorsal hump reduction is one of the most common reasons that rhinoplasty is pursued by patients. While there are multiple treatment modalities, dorsal preservation rhinoplasty (DPR) technique has enjoyed a renaissance in the last decade. This is a retrospective review of DPR’s subjective effect on nasal function and objective effect on the internal nasal valve (INV). Material and Methods: Eight septorhinoplasty patients presenting with functional and aesthetic nasal concerns underwent DPR. Preoperative and postoperative facial computed tomography scans of each patient were evaluated by both authors. A NOSE questionnaire was also administered to each patient preoperatively as well as postoperatively. Results: A statistically significant improvement in nasal function was noted, with NOSE scores going from 93.8 (standard deviation 4.2) preoperatively to 23.1 (standard deviation 12.4) postoperatively. Mean INV measurements went from 11.3° (standard deviation 1.2°) preoperatively to 11.5° (standard deviation 1.9°) postoperatively. Discussion: This is the first report evaluating changes in both INV angle and patient-reported outcomes with the DPR technique. Conclusion: Based on the observations of this limited case series, DPR offers improvement in both objective and subjective metrics of nasal function.