Evaluation of lateral crural steal in nasal tip surgery.

IMPORTANCE Many techniques to increase nasal tip projection and rotation have been described. Some patients complain about aesthetic loss during the postoperative period. The lateral crural steal technique has been used to improve nasal tip rotation, definition, and projection. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the lateral crural steal technique comparing immediate and late postoperative results. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Twenty consecutive patients in an academic tertiary care hospital underwent this rhinoplasty technique to improve nasal tip projection and rotation. INTERVENTION The patients' noses were measured in preoperative and immediate and late postoperative periods using a digital pachymeter. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE Quantitative analysis of nasal length and nasal tip rotation and projection. RESULTS The average lateral crural steal was 4.2 mm. There was an increase in projection and rotation in all patients when comparing preoperative and immediate postoperative measurements. The differences in preoperative and immediate postoperative measurements in nasal length (46.5 mm to 40.5 mm) and nasolabial angle (89.5° to 109.2°) were statistically significant (P = .005 and P <.001, respectively). There was no statistical difference when comparing immediate and late postoperative periods. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The technique described in this study was effective, with a high rate of patient satisfaction, and achieved a significant increase in the rotation of the nasal tip and a slight, but not statistically significant, increase in the projection of the nasal tip. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.