functional repair of unilateral cleft lip

The goal in cleft lip repair is the restoration of the normal anatomy as far as possible. Most of the attempts and efforts in cleft lip repair had been directed toward the skin incision. In recent years the importance of the functional cleft lip repair with orbicularis oris muscle realignment and a sequential layered closure has been stressed. The aim of this paper was to present the clinical experience with accurate repair of the 2 different functional portions of the orbicularis oris muscle [the intrinsic and extrinsic bundles] in the correction of unilateral cleft lip in 10 cases