Abstract
Augmentation rhinoplasty is one of the most popular aesthetic procedure in Asians. Numerous alloplastic implants have been used until now, but no accurate comparative analysis about the implant materials has been reported yet. This study in animal model was designed to determine the safety and effectiveness of various implant materials in augmentation rhinoplasty. The $15{\times}15{\times}2mm$ sized square shaped plate of $Gore-Tex^{(R)}$, silicone rubber, and $15{\times}15{\times}1.5mm$ sized $Medpor^{(R)}$ were implanted under panniculus carnosus of the abdomen wall of rat. And tissue specimens including the implant and surrounding soft tissue were obtained by en bloc excision in 6 months after implantation. The implants were estimated in weight and volume, and also the specimens were examined grossly and microscopically. The results revealed that increase of average weight 26.9%, decrease of average volume 55.4% in $Gore-Tex^{(R)}$ implant, increase of each average weight and volume 62.6%, 8.7% in $Medpor^{(R)}$ implant and very slight increase of both average weight and volume 4.7%, 1.1% in silicone rubber implant. Grossly, the $Gore-Tex^{(R)}$ was deformed, $Medpor^{(R)}$ was strongly adherent to surrounding soft tissue and the silicone rubber was well encapsulated and easily peeled off. Microscopically, silicone rubber showed foreign body reaction slightly and there were no inflammatory responses in all alloplastic implants. In our study, silicone rubber showed very proper alloplastic features for augmentation rhinoplasty due to causing no inflammatory response, no physical change, and no deformity.
