Quantitative Comparison Between Microperforating Osteotomies and Continuous Lateral Osteotomies in Rhinoplasty

OBJECTIVE: To determine the difference in nasal bone narrowing between 2 techniques: the low lateral intranasal perforating osteotomy technique and the low lateral continuous osteotomy technique. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of preoperative and postoperative photographs to determine the changes of the dorsal width of the nose (width of plateau of the nose, or dorsal nasal highlight) and the ventral width (junction of the flattened surface of the maxilla and the ascending nasal process of the maxilla). RESULTS: Twenty patients underwent continuous osteotomies, and 40 underwent intranasal perforating osteotomies. The continuous osteotomy technique had a preoperative to postoperative decrease in the ventral width of 7.0% (P < .01). The perforating osteotomy technique had a decrease in the ventral width of 3.6% (P < .001). Neither technique resulted in a statistically significant change in dorsal width (P < .25). There was no significant difference in ventral and dorsal narrowing when comparing continuous osteotomies to perforating. CONCLUSIONS: Both the continuous and perforating osteotomy technique resulted in a decrease in the ventral nasal bone width. No statistical difference was found between continuous and perforating osteotomy techniques in the amount of nasal bone narrowing (P < .25).