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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
s !PRIL
average length of postoperative follow-up was 14.8
months (range, 12 to 25 months).
Distribution analysis of planned changes in
nasal tip projection demonstrates that, in 32 per-
cent of our cases, a projection increase of more than
1 percent was planned preoperatively. In 19 percent
of our cases, a projection increase of more than 3
percent was planned; in only 9 percent of our cases
a projection increase of more than 5 percent was
planned (Table 2). Distribution analysis of obtained
changes in nasal tip projection has shown that, in 42
percent of our cases, a projection increase of more
than 1 percent was obtained. In 27 percent of our
cases, a projection increase of more than 3 percent
was obtained; and in only 15 percent of our cases,
a projection increase of more than 5 percent was
obtained (Table 3). The differences in distribution
between planned and obtained changes were not
statistically significant in any interval.
In the overall study population, the preopera-
tive nasal tip projection (211.2 ± 37.7 pixels) was
not significantly different from morphed nasal tip
projection (210.4 ± 35.7 pixels) and postoperative
nasal tip projection (213.1 ± 37.4 pixels) (Table 4).
In the overall study population, the Pearson para-
metric correlation coefficient between planned
and obtained changes in nasal tip projection was
0.791, which was indicative of a strong, statistically
significant correlation (
p
< 0.0001). Primary rhi-
noplasty did not demonstrate a universal trend
toward either an increase or a decrease in nasal
tip projection.
In the “planned increase in nasal tip projec-
tion” cohort, both morphed nasal tip projection
(212.6 ± 45.3 pixels) and postoperative nasal
tip projection (214.5 ± 45.8 pixels) were signifi-
cantly higher than preoperative nasal tip projec-
tion (204.8 ± 45.9 pixels) (
p
< 0.0001). There
Fig. 2.
Analysis of planned and obtained changes in nasal tip projection, nasal tip
rotation, and nasal profile proportions.
NLA
, nasolabial angle;
GR
, Goode ratio;
NTP
,
nasal tip projection.
Table 2. Distribution of Planned Changes in Nasal Tip
Projection (
n
= 100 patients)
Planned Change
No. (%)
>5% decrease
10 (10)
>3% decrease
23 (23)
>1% decrease
32 (32)
Difference <1%
36 (36)
>1% increase
32 (32)
>3% increase
19 (19)
>5% increase
9 (9)
Table 3. Distribution of Actual Changes in Nasal Tip
Projection (
n
= 100 patients)
Actual Changes
No. (%)
>%5 decrease
6 (6)
>3% decrease
17 (17)
<1% decrease
31 (31)
Difference <1%
26 (26)
>1% increase
42 (42)
>3% increase
27 (27)
>5% increase
15 (15)