Question: I want a Revision Rhinoplasty using rib cartilage. What are the risks?

Answer: When large quantities of cartilage are needed in Revision Rhinoplasty, rib cartilage can be the best solution. But, to avoid the scarring, pain, and possible lung puncture of harvesting your own cartilage, rib cartilage can be obtained from a tissue bank safely with no higher a complication rate than using your own cartilage and with the advantage of decreasing your operative and anesthesia time. Please look up this paper to see our experience with over 1000 such grafts with long term follow-up: Kridel RWH et al.: Long-term Use and Follow-up of Irradiated Homologous Costal Cartilage Grafts in the Nose in Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2009;11(6):378-394. Simply click on the link below to read the complete medical journal article. http://archfaci.ama-assn.org/content/11/6/378.full.pdf+html

---- Dr. Kridel