Nasal sill augmentation: an overlooked concept in rhinoplasty—a technical note and review of the literatures

BACKGROUND: Nasal sill is one of the components of the alar ring, affecting the esthetic outcomes of rhinoplasty; accordingly, we developed a novel technique to adjust defects in this area and compared it with the available techniques. METHODS: Our technique was based on creating a tunnel access to the nasal sill area through an incision made in the lower third of the columella using the open approach or through a nostril base incision in patients, who underwent alar base reduction, followed by insertion of a cartilaginous graft into the marked defect area. RESULTS: A total number of 54 patients with a defect in the nasal sill area were included in this study. Thirty-one patients underwent open rhinoplasty with the sill approach from the lower third of the columella, while 23 patients underwent rhinoplasty with a nostril base approach for nasal sill augmentation procedure. There were no reports of patient dissatisfaction, infection, bleeding, sensory dysfunction, or remaining asymmetry of the sill area. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of the present study, this technique can be successfully used in reconstructing the nasal sill area with minimal complications and morbidity. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40902-021-00298-3.