Abstract
Objective
To assess long-term effects of nasal correction in infancy on nasal form and growth in patients with unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate (UCLP).
Design
Retrospective longitudinal study.
Patients
Seventeen patients with complete UCLP treated in Program SEHATI in Harapan Kita Children and Maternity Hospital, Indonesia, and followed for approximately 15 years were enrolled.
Interventions
Subjects received presurgical orthopedics using a Hotz's plate and simultaneous primary lip and nose repair in which the lower lateral cartilage was repositioned through a reverse-U incision.
Main Outcome Measures
Preoperative and postoperative nasal forms, including the nostril height and width ratio, the ratio of the height of the top of the alar groove, and the ratio of nostril surface areas were analyzed using color photos taken serially. One-way analysis of variance was used for statistical analyses.
Results
The nostril height and width ratio and the height of the alar groove were significantly improved postoperatively and maintained for 15 years. The mean ratio of nostril surface areas was 1.01 ± 0.12 fifteen years postoperatively, and there was no significant difference from the ratio 1 year postoperatively. The major persistent deformities were septal deviation and a small skin web on the nostril rim.
Conclusions
Our primary cleft lip nose correction has provided an acceptable nose form and absence of disturbance of the nasal growth in patients with UCLP. However, the repositioning of the nasal cartilage at infancy might not eliminate the need for secondary correction after puberty.
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