The dorsal hump is one of the most commonly requested nose reshaping procedure. It is quite common for patients who have a dorsal hump to have a deviated septum and an obstructed airway. The dorsal hump is anatomically an excess of septal cartilage and often this excess septal cartilage can buckle.
When the septum demonstrates an excess of cartilage the buckle can obstruct one or both sides of the airway. When the segment of the septum is removed the airway is improved, but often the deviation in the nose remains. The deviation can usually only be corrected with an open procedure that separates the upper lateral cartilages from the septum and then spreader grafts to stabilize the airway and stabilize the septum into a straighter position.
