Transfixion incision

An incision in the septum in front of where it starts inside the nose. This incision is used to access the septum for septoplasty and for harvesting septum to be used in rhinoplasty or vestibular stenosis repair.

A transfixion incision is an internal incision made along the front edge of the nasal septum. It provides access to the septal cartilage and surrounding tissues without creating a visible scar on the outside of the nose. Depending on the procedure, the incision may extend across both sides of the membranous septum or be limited to one side as a hemitransfixion incision.

This approach may be used during septoplasty, cartilage harvesting, tip-delivery rhinoplasty, or repair of structural narrowing inside the nose. It allows the surgeon to lift the tissue covering the septum and work on cartilage or bone that is bent, damaged, or needed for grafting. Because septal cartilage often provides useful material for rhinoplasty, this incision can serve both functional and reconstructive parts of the operation.