The measurement of nose dimensions through the three-dimensional reformation images after nasal bone fracture

Abstract

Background After closed reduction, patients are sometimes concerned that their external nasal shapes have changed. The aim of this study was to investigate and explain changes in nasal shape after surgery through objective photogrammetric anthropometry measurements taken through three-dimensional (3D) reformed computed tomography (CT) images. Methods Our study included 100 Korean patients who underwent closed reduction of isolated nasal bone fracture from January 2016 to June 2017. Using the ruler tool in Adobe Photoshop CS3, we measured preoperative and postoperative nasal base heights, long nostril axis lengths, both nasal alar angles, and amount of nasal deviation through the 3D reformation of soft tissue via CT scans. We then compared the dimension of nose. Results The amount of postoperative correction for nasal base height was 1.192 mm. The differences in nostril length between each side were found to be 0.333 mm preoperatively and 0.323 mm postoperatively. The differences in the nasal alar angle between each side was 1.382° preoperatively and 1.043° postoperatively. The amount of nasal deviation was found to be 5.248 mm preoperatively and 1.024 mm in postoperatively. Conclusion After the reduction of nasal bone fractures, changes in nasal dimensions were noticeable in terms of nasal deviation but less significant in nasal tips, except for changes in nasal alar angles, which were notable.