DOES RHINOPLASTY MAKE THE NOSE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FRACTURE

This study was conducted to investigate the vulnerability of the nasal bones following rhinoplasty. The incidence of nasal bone fracture in the general population was reviewed from the data available from the N ational Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The NCHS report indicates an average of 51,200 nasal bone fractures each year for an average ye arly population of 239,328,200 over a 5-year period for the United Sta tes, producing an average rate of 0.021 percent per year. The history of 1121 patients who had undergone routine rhinoplasty or septorhinopl asty on an elective basis was then investigated for possible fractures following rhinoplasty. Of this group, 24 patients (16 females and 8 m ales) sustained a total of 28 nasal bone fractures following rhinoplas ty over a mean follow-up period of 4 years. This yields an actual or c rude rate of 0.624 percent per year, as compared with the age-standard ized rate of 0.485 percent, according to the indirect adjustment metho d. The time interval between the first nasal procedure and subsequent fracture varied greatly, spanning from 1 month to 6 years. The average time interval between the first nasal procedure and the subsequent fr acture for 16 patients was less than 1 year. Over 70 percent of the pa tient population (n = 17) who sustained postrhinoplasty fracture were under 30 years old at the time of the fracture. On the basis of the st udy, it was concluded that the incidence of nasal bone fracture follow ing rhinoplasty (0.624 percent actual and 0.485 percent adjusted) is h igher than that of fracture in the general population (0.021 percent) (p < 0.001).