Highly Regarded Surgeon Dr. Dean Toriumi Develops New Technique for Rhinoplasty on Asian Patients

    CHICAGO, IL, February 03, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Artificial implant materials are typically used in augmenting the Asian nose, but have their drawbacks - from infections and thinning out the skin to their being rejected or extruded from the nose - so natural tissue from the patient is a much preferred option, said Dean Toriumi, M.D.

"Most Asian rhinoplasty is done using artificial materials like silastic, a medical grade plastic that can lead to infection," says Dr. Dean Toriumi, a facial plastic surgeon in the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"If an artificial implant becomes infected or extruded, the nose can become deformed and the skin may be permanently damaged. In addition to the problems associated with artificial implants, these materials move around in an unnatural way and make the nose feel artificial," Toriumi added.

Toriumi, a world-recognized authority, specializes in rhinoplasty. He has a special interest in Asian rhinoplasty and the grafting techniques necessary to augment the Asian nose.

Treating the Asian nose frequently requires augmentation such as increasing dorsal height and increasing tip projection, Toriumi said. Making such changes frequently requires adding tissue or an implant, whose consequences can be significant, Toriumi noted.

"Having spent a lot of time removing implants and reconstructing defects from them, I won't use artificial implants in the nose," Toriumi said. "I use, almost exclusively, rib cartilage for augmenting the Asian nose. Use of the patient's own material to augment the nose is the most natural option. If there's an opportunity to use a patient's own tissue, there's no reason to place an artificial implant."

While implants may lead to a quicker surgery, Toriumi cautions that it does not necessarily lead to a better or safer result.

Using rib cartilage can be more complicated than using artificial implants, Toriumi said, and requires an incision on the chest. However, Toriumi has extensive experience using rib cartilage in rhinoplasty, including Asian rhinoplasty. He has developed his own technique for carving and using rib cartilage to prevent problems with warping or deforming of the grafts, and has developed his own methods for raising or augmenting the dorsum in the Asian patient. "I use techniques that create a natural appearing bridge with an immobile dorsal graft, and for shaping the nasal tip in the Asian patient," Toriumi said. "Often I use them when I am removing patients' artificial implants and replacing them with rib cartilage grafts."

"I've found that my patients who undergo rib cartilage grafting have minimal pain and scarring. Most have minimal postoperative pain easily controlled with medications," he said. For Asian patients in particular, I make a very small incision (less than 1.5 cm) that leaves minimal scarring on the chest. The size of the scar is very important in the Asian patient, as large scars can become hypertrophic and unsightly."

Toriumi has traveled to Asia on many occasions to teach Asian surgeons how to use rib cartilage for augmenting the Asian nose. The technique, he added, is very complex and can take many years of experience to master.

Toriumi has many Asian patients who come from the Orient and stay in Chicago for two weeks to heal after their surgery. Their two-week stay gives their nose adequate time to heal and stabilize prior to returning home, he noted.

Toriumi has published numerous papers on treatment of the Asian nose, and has published four articles on Asian rhinoplasty in the last two years. He also co-authored a book on "Asian Facial Cosmetic Surgery." in 2007. In the book he described some of his techniques in Asian rhinoplasty. Toriumi's most recent publication on Asian rhinoplasty was published in the "Clinics in Plastic Surgery." This article discusses his most recent techniques used in Asian augmentation rhinoplasty.

For more information on surgical techniques on Asian nasal bridges, please call Dr. Dean Toriumi at (312) 255-8812 or email Pat Goldman, RN. at [email protected] or visit our website at http://deantoriumi.com/.

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