The osseocartilaginous vault of the nose: anatomy and surgical observations

Background: The dorsal hump and dorsal aesthetic lines have been considered bony and cartilaginous structures. Knowledge of the anatomy of the osseocartilaginous vault is essential for obtaining aesthetically pleasing results of rhinoplasty.

Objectives: The authors described the morphology, embryology, and clinical relevance of the nasal vault and the changes that occur in this area during rhinoplasty.

Methods: Dissections were performed on 15 fresh adult cadavers to examine the anatomy of the osseocartilaginous vault. Intraoperative endoscopic examination of the vault also was performed in 9 rhinoplasty patients before and after dorsal hump reduction.

Results: In the cadaver study, the average length of the dorsal keystone area, measured along the dorsal septum, was 8.9 mm, and the average width was 4.9 mm. No significant difference in length was observed between cadaver subgroups with straight or humped nasal profiles. The extent of lateral overlap of the nasal bones with the cephalic portion of the upper lateral cartilages varied. In rhinoplasty patients, the average length of the cartilaginous vault exposed during dorsal reduction was 7.6 mm.

Conclusions: The aesthetic lines and profile of the nose before dorsal reduction are dictated by the cartilaginous vault. After reduction, the dorsal lines are determined by the bony vault edges. In routine rhinoplasty, reduction of dorsal height generally corresponds to removal of the dorsal cartilaginous septum.