What Is Rib Cartilage Rhinoplasty?

Rib Cartilage Rhinoplasty—also known as Costal Cartilage Rhinoplasty—is indicated for patients with severely underdeveloped nasal structures and insufficient native cartilage volume, where auricular or septal cartilage grafts alone cannot provide adequate structural support.

Costal cartilage rhinoplasty can address deficiencies across all nasal subunits and enables precise sculpting of an upturned or teardrop-shaped nasal tip. The procedure typically involves harvesting rib cartilage—most commonly from the sixth or seventh right rib—depending on whether a “full-rib” or “half-rib” approach is required.

For a half-rib graft, the folded fusion segment of the sixth rib suffices; for a full-rib graft, the entire seventh rib cartilage is harvested. The harvested rib cartilage is meticulously carved into a structural graft and secured onto the nasal septum to elevate the nasal tip, resulting in a refined, well-defined nasal contour.