Open Reduction of an Isolated Anterior Nasal Spine Fracture: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

A 14-year-old girl had a mid-facial trauma event caused by hitting an opening door and experienced discomfort and swelling of the columella and upper lip. Physical examination revealed mild tenderness on light palpation without any discomfort with upper lip movement. A computed tomography scan of the maxillofacial bones with three-dimensional reconstruction showed a fracture of the anterior nasal spine with obvious leftward displacement, mild deviation of the caudal aspect of the nasal septum, and no sign of nasal bone fracture. Open reduction and internal fixation were performed with regard to aesthetic and functional concerns, including nasal septum deviation. The postoperative course was uneventful, and healing proceeded normally without complications. Herein, we emphasize the importance of differential diagnosis of isolated anterior nasal spine fractures in patients with mid-facial trauma and clinicians’ strategic decision-making in treatment modalities.