Saddle nose deformity is not a disease it the clinical description/ appearance of the nose that occurs occurs following loss of support of the nose from destruction of the nasal septum. This lack of support produces a typical concavity to the bridge of the nose in side (profile) view – like the shape of a horse’s saddle, hence the term ‘saddle nose deformity’. This deformity progressively causes increased breathing difficulties for the patient and the appearance is quite distressing for most patients.
Any process that weakens the septum can produce a saddle nose deformity:
- Over resection/removal of the septum from poorly performed septoplasty, rhinoplasty
- Cocaine nose damage to the septum
- Vasculitic disease that weakens the septum through inflammation
- Large perforations in the nasal septum
Correcting the saddle requires rebuilding of the septum to re-support the mid portion of the nose. We do this by taking cartilage grafts from ears or from your rib cartilage.
There are various grading systems to saddle nose deformity. The majority can be corrected in a one-stage procedure as a day case patient. Extreme cases may require more than one stage to successfully reconstruct the nose.
