Inside the nose, on both sides, are internal and external nasal valves. These valves are small, narrow areas where nasal airflow is noticed the most. The external nasal valve is an area formed by the columella, the nasal floor, and the caudal margin of the lower lateral cartilage (or nasal rim). However, trauma or genetic variations can cause external nasal valve collapse which causes significant breathing difficulties for people. Dr. Dugar provides expert grafting and maneuvers to open up your external nasal valve collapse, leading to better breathing for the rest of your life.
The internal nasal valve, meanwhile, is a triangular area bound by the caudal border of the upper lateral cartilage, the septum, and the anterior head of the inferior turbinate. This internal nasal valve area is extremely narrow and is susceptible to further narrowing when a patient has a deviated septum, a collapse of the upper lateral cartilages, or enlarged inferior turbinates. During surgery, Dr. Dugar addresses narrow interior nasal valves to facilitate better and easier breathing. One of Dr. Dugar’s favorite maneuvers to increase the angle of the internal nasal valve and improve your breathing is by using spreader grafts rhinoplasty. This procedure involves using small pieces of cartilage (usually harvested from deviated portions of the nasal septum during a septoplasty) that are sculpted and shaped into perfectly sized grafts which are placed within the nose to help augment the angle of the internal valves. In this way, spreader grafts rhinoplasty can improve nasal breathing and help resolve nasal valve or mid-third collapse.