A Comparison of the Aesthetics Outcomes and Respiratory Side Effects of the Use of Spreader Flap and Spreader Graft Techniques in Open Rhinoplasty

Background: Considering the fact that both spreader flap and spreader graft techniques cause respiratory complications and yield different aesthetics results in patients undergoing open rhinoplasty, this study was aimed at comparing these 2 techniques in terms of aesthetics and respiratory side effects. Methods: The study was conducted on patients undergoing open rhinoplasty in Ardabil, Iran, during 2016 to 2017. During the Study, a questionnaire containing 7 items related to respiratory complications and 7 items related to aesthetics side effects was completed for each of the patients. After that, the patients were photographed from 6 standard views by the researchers and then the aesthetics side effects were assessed. Finally, the obtained data were all fed into SPSS Software Version 16 and the needed statistical analyses were conducted. Results: One hundred thirty patients were investigated in this study the majority of whom were female. Rhinoplasty in 69 of them was done with spreader graft technique and in 61 of them with spreader flap technique. The analysis of the side effects in these 2 groups of patients indicated that the use of spreader graft technique increases the incidence of nasal hump while the use of spreader flap technique results in an increase in the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea. As regards the other respiratory and aesthetics side effects, the 2 techniques did not yield significantly different results. Conclusion: The findings of the present research indicated that there is no significant difference between the use of spreader graft and spreader flap techniques. Therefore, considering the clinical conditions of patients, either of the 2 techniques can be used effectively in rhinoplasties.