Rhinoplasty surgery usually involves reducing a dorsal hump or bump on the nasal bridge. Sometimes a variation of this condition can create the illusion of a significant bump, called the low radix or pseudo-hump.
The radix is the upper bony portion of the nose. The radix and the cartilage beneath it may be substantial leading to the appearance of a bump. If the radix is shallow, it can cause the appearance of a depression and a bump. The cosmetic surgeon can carefully shave away small portions of the radix to reduce its size.
They may also graft a portion of the patient’s cartilage taken from another location in the nose to add fullness to a depressed area of the nose. By augmenting the space right above the radix, the surgeon can create a straighter slope.
Proper radix management is essential to develop a natural nasal appearance. Plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey provides rhinoplasty to patients in Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and surrounding locations.
Pseudo-Hump
A pseudo-hump refers to a nose where the radix is not sufficiently developed and under-projects. This helps create a facial profile in which the tissue beneath the radix (towards the nasal tip) seems even larger than it really is. A pseudo-hump develops when the bone of the radix does not project the overlying soft tissue properly.
Correcting an Underdeveloped and Low Radix
For an under-projecting radix, rhinoplasty with radix tissue grafting is the most appropriate procedure. Fascia, cartilage, or other tissue can comprise a radix graft.
In general, the surgeon uses a carved piece of cartilage (usually taken from the septum) for a radix graft. They will then place this graft beneath the skin and muscle of the radix where it remains properly hidden.
The surgeon will address the deficit in the bony structure by placing the cartilage graft over the bone where it raises the sunken soft tissue. This procedure helps develop a much straighter profile without the requirement to remove any underlying bone or cartilage from the radix.
Can you have Weak Radix and a True Hump?
It is possible for a patient to have an under-developed radix along with a true hump. The benefit of treating both these conditions at the same time is that the surgeon can undertake a more conservative approach to hump removal.
In such procedures, the surgeon brings the ideal profile line closer to the hump while elevating the position of the radix. As a result, the surgeon will have to eliminate a lesser portion of the hump to develop a straighter profile. The results of this surgery appear less “surgical” and more natural looking because of a stronger nasal starting point.
Correcting Radix as Part of Revision Rhinoplasty
The angle between the frontal and nasal bones in the nose determines the height of the radix. This height should be in proportion to the dorsal height, length, and tip projection to develop beautiful, harmonious outcomes.
The nose may appear Romanesque after the surgery if the radix remains too high, or if the radix graft used for the procedure is too substantial. In revision rhinoplasty, the surgeon reduces the radix to its right and most appropriate proportions relative to other nasal aspects and the overall shape of the face.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey receives patients from Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and nearby areas for rhinoplasty.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit:
Serving patients in and around Atlanta, Buckhead, Roswell, Marietta, Georgia and surrounding areas.