The diagnostic accuracy of hand-held ultrasonography in evaluation of costal cartilage calcification for grafting in rhinoplasty: A cadaveric study.

Background: Autologous costal cartilage graft (ACC) is considered a gold standard in complex rhinoplasty. Costal cartilage calcification remains a problematic issue, causing not only difficulties during the harvesting, carving, and fixation procedures but also worsening the long-term outcome with resorption.

Purpose: This study aims to establish diagnostic accuracy of hand-held ultrasonography in not only detecting the degree and pattern of costal cartilage calcification but also assessing its ability to predict the volume of the harvestable cartilage graft.