Interdomal ligament of the nose: Clarifying the anatomy through a cadaveric study

Abstract

Background: Over the years, the anatomical description of the nasal ligaments has been revisited several times. Although several authors have studied the structures supporting the nasal tip, there is a lack of literature that consistently describes the anatomy of the interdomal ligament. This study analyzed the anatomical variations of the interdomal ligament by describing the possible shapes and dimensions and confirming its ligamentous nature histologically.

Methods: Twenty-five fresh cadaver noses of Caucasian descent, without signs of previous nasal surgery were dissected using an open approach. The interdomal ligament was identified, isolated, measured, and sent for histological examination. The statistical analysis was conducted using Prism9.

Results: The average area of the interdomal ligaments of the whole cohort was 0.39±0.22 cm². The mean ligament depth was 0.16±0.05 cm, and the mean interdomal distance was 1.38±0.32 cm. Overall, 58.3% of the ligaments showed a fusiform shape and the rest showed a trapezoidal shape. A correlation between the interdomal distance and length of the ligament was demonstrated with r=[0.7536]. The histological analysis of the interdomal ligament displayed a "fibrous-connective nature of the structure compatible with a ligament."

Conclusions: This study confirmed the ligamentous nature of the interdomal ligament and demonstrated its consistent presence in 24 cadavers, with the depth from the dome ranging from 0.10 to 0.24 cm. The data demonstrated that this ligament may have a fusiform or trapezoidal shape with a mean area of 0.39±0.22 cm². Furthermore, a correlation exists between the major base of the ligament and the interdomal distance, with a ratio of 1.633.

Keywords: Anatomy; Interdomal ligament; Ligament; Nose.