Complications of Internal Continuous and Perforating External Osteotomy in Primary Rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Osteotomy is one of the major steps in rhinoplasty. The aim of study was to compare edema and ecchymosis after external and internal lateral osteotomy in patients who underwent rhinoplasty.

METHODS: Based on a prospective randomized clinical trial, 168 osteotomies were performed through an external route in a perforating fashion and internal route in a continuous fashion at right or left side respectively in any patient. Subjective scoring system was applied to evaluate edema and ecchymosis on 1st , 3rd , 7th , and 30th days after surgery.

RESULTS: Edema and ecchymosis were the same in both types of osteotomies.

CONCLUSION: Regarding edema and ecchymosis, there was not any significant difference between external and internal osteotomies in rhinoplasty.