Laser-Assisted Rhinoplasty: The Future Generation Rhinoplasty Technique to Preserve Anatomy? A Series of Patients Compared to Patients Undergoing Standard Open Rhinoplasty

BACKGROUND: Rhinoplasty is the cosmetic procedure that is most difficult to master. Anatomical preservation should represent the main goal of rhinoplasty. One emerging tool appears to be erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser bone and cartilage reshaping. The authors developed a new small laser hand probe to perform what we called laser-assisted rhinoplasty. The authors evaluate the feasibility of the laser-assisted rhinoplasty and the aesthetic and functional result of laser-assisted rhinoplasty compared to classic rhinoplasty. METHODS: A total of 50 patients were enrolled and randomized into two cohorts: the first cohort of patients was submitted to classic rhinoplasty, and the second cohort to laser-assisted rhinoplasty. The laser beam was used to perform both the resection of the crura and the resection of the nasal hump and osteotomies. RESULTS: Laser-assisted rhinoplasty is a safe and reproducible technique. At a clinical assessment, lateral crura reshaping showed a visible step or excessive skin retraction in 12 percent of the classic rhinoplasty population with thick cartilage and/or thin skin, and this was not present in the laser-assisted rhinoplasty population at 12-month follow-up. The patient satisfaction rate was higher in the laser-assisted rhinoplasty population compared with standard open rhinoplasty. The authors also clinically noted a reduction in edema in the immediate postoperative period in the laser-assisted rhinoplasty population and a more rapid complete resolution of the swelling. CONCLUSION: The laser-assisted rhinoplasty technique is feasible and safe and has no major complication, and the aesthetic and functional results can be superimposed onto classic rhinoplasty but with a higher degree of intraoperative precision, higher patient satisfaction, a cleaner field, and less bleeding.