Computed Tomography Analysis of Nasal Anatomy in Dorsal Preservation Rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND Subdorsal septal resection and radix osteotomy are distinctive surgical steps for preservation rhinoplasty. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the nasal bone thickness, the level of the septal bony-cartilaginous junction (K area), and the distances of the frontal sinus and skull base from the transverse osteotomy line in the Turkish population, using conventional computed tomography. METHODS A retrospective evaluation was made of 203 consecutive preoperative paranasal CT scans of patients who had undergone surgery for rhinoplasty in the Department of Otolaryngology between January 2020-June 2021. Measurements were taken of the nasal bone thickness at medial canthus level, and the distance between the transverse osteotomy line and K area, transverse osteotomy line and frontal sinus, and the transverse osteotomy line and cribriform plate. Patients were classified in terms of age and gender. RESULTS The mean measurements were similar in terms of age groups (p=0.402, p=0.542, p=0.134 and p=0.276, respectively). The mean nasal bone thickness and distance between the transverse osteotomy line and K area showed a statistical significance (p=0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). In both genders, the mean distance between the transverse osteotomy line and frontal sinus, and cribriform plate measurements were similar (p=0.921 and p=0.280, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Computed tomography (CT) has an important place in preoperative planning. The need for resection of the ethmoid perpendicular bone may be greater in males in lowering the dorsal hump, and therefore they may be more prone to skull base complications. Thus, it is necessary to be more careful in the surgical stage of subdorsal septal excision in males. The nasal bone thickness was thinner, and the K area position was more cephalic in females.