Role of steroid injection for skin thickness and edema in rhinoplasty patients.

[OBJECTIVES] The aim of this study was to observe the effect of the triamcinolone acetonide injections in thick skinned patients with ultrasonographic measurements and to compare these results with the postoperative nasal skin thickness of patients that were not injected with steroids.

[METHODS] A prospective study was planned with 42 thick nasal skinned rhinoplasty candidates in our clinic. Skin thickness of specific points along nose was measured and documented. On the 10th day after surgery, triamcinolone acetonide injections were performed into the supratip region of 21 patients in the study group. No injections were made for the control group. Nasal ultrasonographic measurements were repeated 40 days after the surgery for all 42 patients by the same radiologist and results were evaluated.

[RESULTS] Seventeen women (40.5%) and 25 men (59.5%) were included in the study. Patients' ages ranged from 18 to 53 with an average age of 27.9. In study group, all injections sites showed thinning on the 40th day after surgery. These findings were statistically significant at B (rhinion), D (middle of supratip), and G (middle of the tip). In the control group, all injection sites except A (nasion) displayed thickening on the 40th day after surgery. These findings were statistically significant at B (rhinion), D (middle of supratip), H (left side of the tip), and J (left alar region).

[CONCLUSION] Triamcinolone acetonide injections are effective in the prevention of edema and provide thinning of the post-rhinoplasty skin envelope.