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Nasal reconstruction remains a challenge for every reconstructive surgeon. Alloplastic implants are proposed to repair nasal cartilaginous defects but they are often associated with high rates of extrusion and infection and poor biocompatibility. In this context, a porous polymeric scaffold filled with an autologous cartilage gel would be advantageous. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of IEIK13 self‐assembling peptide (SAP) to serve as support to form such cartilage gel. Human nasal chondrocytes (HNC) were first amplified with FGF‐2 and insulin, and then redifferentiated in IEIK13 with BMP‐2, insulin, and T3 (BIT). Our results demonstrate that IEIK13 fosters HNC growth and survival. HNC phenotype was assessed by RT‐PCR analysis and neo‐synthesized extracellular matrix was characterized by western blotting and immunohistochemistry analysis. BIT‐treated cells embedded in IEIK13 displayed round morphology and expressed cartilage‐specific markers such as type II and type IX collagens and aggrecan. In addition, we did not detect significant production of type I and type X collagens and gene products of dedifferentiated and hypertrophic chondrocytes that are unwanted in hyaline cartilage. The whole of these results indicates that the SAP IEIK13 represents a suitable support for hydrogel‐based tissue engineering of nasal cartilage. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 893–903, 2019.

Background Internal valve collapse is a frequent cause of nasal obstruction but remains poorly understood and is sometimes treated inappropriately as a result. No functional or imaging test for the condition has been validated and the reference diagnostic technique is physical examination. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of four‐phase rhinomanometry as a diagnostic test for internal valve collapse. Methods In a case–control diagnostic accuracy study, the nostrils of adult patients consulting for chronic nasal obstruction were classified as “collapsed” or “non‐collapsed” based on clinical findings. Four‐phase rhinomanometry was performed in all patients. The area defined by the path of the flow/pressure curve in the two phases of inspiration (the “inspiratory loop area” or “hysteresis loop area”) was calculated for both nasal cavities and the threshold value with the highest Youden index was identified. Results Sixty‐six patients (132 nostrils) were included with 72 nostrils classified as collapsed and 60 as non‐collapsed. Before nasal decongestion, the inspiratory loop area with the highest Youden index was 17.3 Pa L s−1 and the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 88.3% (95% confidence interval, 80.0–95.0%) and 89.9% (82.6–95.7%), respectively. Conclusions In these patients, a cutoff inspiratory loop area in four‐phase rhinomanometry data reproduced clinical diagnoses of internal valve collapse with high sensitivity and specificity. This method may offer a firmer basis for treatment indications than subjective physical examinations. Level of evidence Level 4.