Application of Polymarker Assistant External Alar Wedge Excision Combined With Internal Vestibular Floor Excision in Nasal Alar Reduction

Background: There are numerous techniques available to modify nasal alar. The combined alar base excision technique can narrow the nasal base and correct excessive alar flare at the same time. Despite its effectiveness, this procedure involves the removal of the skin of the nasal alar and the nasal mucosa, making the operation more challenging and raising the risk of postoperative asymmetry complications. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a method of polymarker to assist the operation design to improve the precision of the operation and to avoid the complications discussed above. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective review of patients undergoing nasal alar reduction using polymarker assistant external alar wedge excision combined with internal vestibular floor excision by a senior surgeon from January 2021 to April 2023. The postoperative appearance was evaluated in stratification by the patients during revisits using a VAS questionnaire. Results: The nasal alar was reduced with polymarker assistant external alar wedge excision combined with internal vestibular floor excision on 30 female patients ranging from 20 to 45 years of age, 10 of which were performed simultaneously with rib cartilage–related rhinoplasty. In all cases, the nasal alar was reduced without distortion. During the postoperative period, all the effects of the surgery were seen to persist for a lengthy period of time, and the patients were generally satisfied with the results.