Interpositional collagenated cancellous bone blocks for nasal dorsum augmentation: A new technique for nasomaxillary hypoplasia treatment

Abstract

Nasomaxillary hypoplasia is a rare congenital malformation involving the middle third of the face. The present paper describes a novel technique for restoring the nasal projection in a patient with nasomaxillary hypoplasia, analyses its advantages and limitations, and discusses its potential applicability in other similar contexts. After orthognathic surgery, lateral osteotomies of the nasal bones were performed integrally with a piezoelectric device using a long cutting saw tip through the intraoral approach. The nasal bones were then projected by interpositioning two triangular-shaped collagenated cancellous bone graft blocks on each side in the osteotomies between the nasal and the frontal processes of the maxillary bones. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data was used to perform a morphometric analysis at one and 12 months of follow-up through image superimposition, which revealed a stable increased projection of the nasal dorsum and an anterior nasal spine (ANS) of 5.18 mm and 5.52 mm, respectively. The results of this case suggest that the technique affords satisfactory nasal dorsum augmentation while avoiding the use of permanent foreign materials, with minimal morbidity, no unsightly and visible scars, great patient satisfaction, and adequate stability at 12 months of follow-up.