The septal crossbar graft is a surgical technique used to correct crooked nose and
solve the associated functional and aesthetic problems. Described for the first time
in 2003, it combines staggered septal incisions with a spreader graft in the dorsal
septum on the concave side of the deviation. The method has proved particularly useful
in straightening the septum and ensuring postoperative results of lasting stability.
Clinical experience over the last few years and the identification of some snags in
the procedure have prompted modifications of the technique that should be regarded
essentially as evolutionary stages. This article provides a detailed description of
all the surgical phases of the technique in the light of these developments and discusses
its strengths with respect to the specific problems of crooked nose. Attention is
drawn in this connection to both the functional effect on the internal nasal valve
and the aesthetic effect of reshaping the upper lateral cartilage.
Crooked nose - spreader grafts - crossbar graft - nasal valve
