The Role of the Upper Lateral Cartilages in Aesthetic Rhinoplasty

Judicious modification of the lateral portion of the ULC - taking care to maintain adequate length and breadth of the medial portion of the cartilage in selected individuals - results in significant improvement in nasal tip width. A specific subset of our patients, approximately 20%, benefited from this approach. Conservative resection of the ULC can enhance nasal tip shape. While clearly not applicable in the majority of patients, the described technique represents a useful addition to the algorithm we may employ in determining the surgical approach in patients seeking aesthetic rhinoplasty.