01/06/2026
Cartilage quality is unique to each patient; dimensions, shape, ossification, internal structure, and elasticity can all vary.
In this video, you can observe how the changed in the same patient over approximately twenty years. The patient had undergone rib cartilage reconstruction at another center when he was in his twenties due to a short and crooked nose deformity. At the bottom of the video, you can see grafts carved using the classic technique when the patient was around 20 years old, which appear whitish and more curved; at the top, you can see that the rib cartilage, taken after 20 years and carved using my , appears straighter and more stable.
At a younger age, costal cartilage tends to be whitish, more homogeneous, and more elastic. With aging, it becomes brownish, its central and peripheral structures change, and its flexibility decreases.
Another important detail in the video is the effect of surgical technique: The two grafts at the bottom of the video, carved using the classical technique, warped over time, while the three grafts at the top, carved using the OSM technique, remain straight. Thanks to balanced force distribution and proper preparation using the “Oblique Split Method”, they are expected to maintain their straight form during the postoperative period as well.
Cartilage carving, shaping, and fixation techniques all influence the biomechanical balance of the graft. A separate post explaining the scientific principles and details behind the OSM technique may provide a better understanding of this concept.
