The crooked nose.

The crooked nose is unquestionably the most severe deformity of the nasal septum due to the simultaneous involvement of very important functional and aesthetic elements. As everyday interpersonal relations are primarily conducted face-to-face, deviation of the nasal pyramid from the median line is immediately obvious even to the least observant. The surgical procedures used to address this pathology must take into account the risk of relapse due to the elastic "memory" of the cartilage and avoid any undue weakening of the structure resulting in collapse of the nasal dorsum. The complexity of the problem requires techniques capable of addressing the situation radically and providing results that are stable over time. Extracorporeal septoplasty, spreader grafts and the crossbar graft are all particularly effective, not only in correcting deformity of the nasal pyramid but also in solving functional respiratory problems. The author describes the techniques in detail and discusses their strengths with respect to specific problems of the crooked nose.