Patient Photos

Revision Septo-Rhinoplasty To Correct Hanging Columela and Alar Retraction

This Portland revision rhinoplasty patient came to Dr. Thomas Lamperti to find out what could be done to correct the after effects of two prior rhinoplasty procedures that were done in Southern California several years prior. She was mainly unhappy with her drooping, hanging columella and excessive columellar show. Dr. Lamperti noticed that she also had alar retraction contributing to this excessive columellar show along with supra-alar pinching related to prior cartilage removal. The patient wasn't concerned with her tip pinching so Dr. Lamperti performed an open revision rhinoplasty which included a septoplasty to harvest septal cartilage. A tongue in groove setback was done to reposition the droopy columella further up toward the septum. The patient's septum was long enough to just use the septum as the anchor point. To improve the alar retraction rim grafts were also carved using harvested septal cartilage and situtated in order to bring the alar margins down somewhat. In the 7 month postoperative photos you can see how the patient's tip is now much more harmonious with a nicely reduced columellar show and the alar margins are much better positioned and supported. Dr. Lamperti was also careful to maintain the patient's current, pleasing tip rotation and supratip break.