Survival of Autologous Cartilages for Rhinoplasty

Introduction.Septoplasty is the excision of the deviated part of the nasal septum, which can be either cartilage or bony septum.It is advisable to perform both rhinoplasty and septoplasty at the same time but, in some cases, patients can show hesitation.In this study, we wanted to investigate the integrity and malleability of excised cartilages for future grafts.Methods.In total, 50 excised cartilages from septoplasty and septorhinoplasty operations were examined microscopically between 2019 and 2020.Excised cartilages measuring 5 5 mm were put in saline solution or formaldehyde and examined after a week, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively.Specimens were stored between 4C and -30C.Patients aged 18 to 65 with nasal septal deviation were included in our study.Patients with chronic diseases or drug use were excluded from our study.Results.We found that without any culture media used, the number of chondrocytes decreased significantly (P < .05).However, the integrity and malleability of the excised cartilages were rigid in saline solution. Conclusion.Autologous excised cartilages can be stored for 6 months in saline solution for future need of a graft in rhinoplasty operations.Although the viability of the graft decreases significantly, it can be used for its rigidity.