Internal lateral nasal osteotomy: double-guarded osteotome and mucosa tearing.

For the internal lateral nasal osteotomy, a 4-mm double-guarded straight osteotome that separates the external periost and mucoperiosteum while the osteotomy is progressing is presented. Before the osteotomy, the external periost and the internal mucoperiosteum are infiltrated with local anesthesia and elevated by tunneling with an elevator. As the sharp part is behind the guards, it is not possible for the osteotome to slip away laterally or medially from the nasal bone. By tunneling just at the base of the nasal bones, arteries, veins, and lymphatics are preserved while the superior part of the external periosteum and the internal mucoperichondrium maintained the bones in a stable position with firm support to both sides. Forty consecutive rhinoplasties were studied with an endoscope. In 35 primary rhinoplasties the mucosa laceration rate was 1.5%, whereas in secondary rhinoplasties it was 80%. The approach to the piriform aperture was intranasal in the first 16 cases and intraoral in the last 24 cases. The intraoral mucosal elevation and osteotomy were easier to carry out than in the intranasal approach. In general, minor lower-lid edema and ecchymosis were observed, possibly related to the fact that the periosteum was elevated, thus preserving the supraperiosteal arteries, veins, and lymphatics. When the mucosa was elevated, the internal irrigation of the mucosa and the lymphatics was also preserved, thus avoiding intraoperative bleeding, intranasal packing, and postoperative bleeding.