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Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Excessive concavities of the lower lateral crura can lead to heavy aesthetic disfigurement of the nasal tip and to insufficiencies of the external nasal valve. This study reviewed experience with the lower lateral crural reverse plasty technique that uses the existing cartilage to create the desired lower lateral cartilage contour and provides sufficient alar rim support. A retrospective review was conducted with a follow-up period ranging from 9 to 33 months. The technique was applied in primary (n = 13) and secondary (n = 3) open rhinoplasties to correct severe concavities of the lower lateral cartilages. Two case examples and intraoperative photographs are presented to illustrate the technique and its results. The lower lateral crural reverse plasty proved its applicability for the functional and aesthetical correction of severe lower lateral crura concavities. By dissecting the distorted lateral crus, turning it around, and suturing it back in place, surgeons can “reconstruct” a new lateral crus with existing cartilage. No additional cartilage is needed, and no harvesting at a different location needs to be performed. After rhinoplasty, no alar rim instabilities were observed. In three cases, even preexisting instabilities were corrected. Aesthetically enduring results were observed, and no overcorrection or alar retraction was seen. With the lower lateral crural reverse plasty, severe concavities of the lower lateral crura can be corrected. This technique is a useful and reproducible procedure, performed without additional tissue to achieve functionally and aesthetically satisfying and enduring results.

Septoplasty is one of the most common surgery of ENT but even today the difficult septum still presents a great surgical problem. A severe septum deformity is usually due to an accident quite often in childhood. It is also seen in patients with malformation such as cleft lip and cleft palate deformity. It affects not only the nasal function, but also the aesthetic part of the nose. Severe septal deformities can not be corrected properly by the standard septoplasty techniques. Therefore in such cases an extracorporeal septoplasty is recommended. In this technique the whole septum is taken out, the bony and cartilaginous septum in one piece if possible, a new septal plate is reconstructed by different surgical techniques, followed by replantation and reconstruction of the cartilagenous dorsum. The first author kept on improving the safe septal fixation, rebuilding of cartilagenous dorsum and overall the extracorporeal septoplasty technique over the period of time and this technique with all its refinement can be recommended to all the surgeons dealing with this challenging noses.

Based on a review of the literature and our own experience, we propose criteria for the site of implantation that, in our eyes, is suitable for a silicon implant or a cartilage transplant. Special interest is focused on rhinoplasty and chin augmentation, as both determine the facial profile of the patient. During the last 17 years we have treated 443 patients with augmentation rhinoplasty, of whom 360 received autologous ear cartilage grafts and 83 received autologous rib cartilage grafts. At the same time we saw 30 patients requiring removal of artificial implant materials that were used by other surgeons for rhinoplasty augmentation purposes. Since 1986 we have performed 60 chin augmentations with anatomically shaped silicone implants (McGhan), of which 40 patients had a combined rhinomentoplasty done.

New plastic materials are being developed continuously for use in nasal implants. In our experience, only autogenetic material should be used for such operations. We ourselves use exclusively cartilage from the rib, auricle or septum.