Reconstructive rhinoplasty using cadaver cartilage in relapsing polychondritis

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare autoimmune disorder of unknown cause characterized by recurrent inflammation of cartilage predominantly affecting the ears, nose, and upper airway. The bridge of the nose and surrounding tissue can collapse, producing a saddle nose deformity. Nasal reconstruction is often challenging in these patients due to impaired wound healing and graft take caused by autoimmune inflammatory disease and prolonged immunosuppressant treatment. Many different reconstruction techniques like autologous rib, fascia lata, and calvarial bone grafts have been used. Herein we report the use of a cadaver cartilage graft in a 55-year-old woman with relapsing polychondritis and saddle nose deformity. Because of the characteristic chondritis of her autoimmune condition, cadaver cartilage was selected because it is antigenically different from the patient’s own cartilage, offering significant structural integrity for nasal reconstruction compared to other techniques.