Abstract
Background and Aim: The nasal cartilaginous septum is one of the key structural elements in rhinoplasty and serves as the main source for graft harvesting. Its dimensions and morphology vary considerably among individuals, which can influence surgical planning and outcomes. Precise preoperative evaluation of the cartilage’s morphometric parameters may help optimize graft utilization and preserve nasal stability.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 148 patients who were referred to Velayat Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, between 2021 and 2023 for midface cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging that included the nasal region. The nasal septal cartilage was reconstructed three-dimensionally using NEWTOME software. Statistical tests were performed at a significance level of 0.05.
Result: The mean age of participants was 37.99 ± 3.79 years (58.8% female, 41.2% male). The most common deviation type was C-shaped (31.8%), while the least frequent was reverse C-shaped (19.6%). Males had significantly longer cartilage (p = 0.044), whereas females had a greater width (p = 0.029). Younger patients (≤ 38 years) exhibited significantly larger dimensions (p < 0.01). Surface area differed significantly among deviation types (p < 0.001), with the maximum area observed in S-shaped deviations.
Conclusion: CBCT enables accurate visualization of the nasal septal cartilage, helping predict harvestable graft volume and identify deviation patterns. Age and septal morphology significantly affect cartilage surface area and play a crucial role in individualized rhinoplasty planning.