Design of a combined cartilage graft crusher, morselizer and holder for use in rhinoplasty

Abstract

A combined cartilage holder and crusher is described that allows the surgeon to hold, crush, morselize, and suture a single piece or stack of cartilage graft without letting it slip. The customized slit-shaped jaws allow adequate room for the suture needle, while the serrated surfaces hold the cartilage firmly. The use of this instrument is advocated primarily in rhinoplasty for manipulating and suturing a small cartilage graft or a stack of grafts. The use of this instrument may be extended to aesthetic or reconstructive cases where cartilage grafts need to be sutured or shaped, as in eyelid, ear, and nipple reconstruction.

Cartilage tissue engineering for craniofacial reconstruction

“…Craniofacial defects and anomalies have a serious impact on quality of life, and performing functional and aesthetically satisfactory reconstructions of facial structures are challenging. The standard treatment strategies are to replace the defects or damaged structures with autologous tissue [1][2][3]. However, the amount of donor bone, cartilage, skin, and soft tissue is restricted and their harvest can lead to significant morbidity.…”