Medial and Lateral Crus Elevation to Correct the Secondary Unilateral Cleft Lip-Nasal Deformities

ABSTRACT

The characteristics of the cleft lip nasal deformity is defined in this article in three planes. The alar flaring is explained in X axis, the lower positioning of the alar free margin is imagined in Y axis and the short hemicolumella is in Z axis. Most cleft surgeons have focused on the malposition of the lateral crus of alar cartilage while the author defined it in X and Y axises and tried to correct that deformity of short hemicolumella in Z axis. For the last 13 years the author applied that method in 818 cases of secondary cleft lip nose deformity. Through the columellar splitting incision extended to free margin of the alar not beyond the nasal dorsum, the skin and soft tissue of the webbing deformed the nasal tip was excised in crescent fashion. The dissected short hemicolumella including the medial crus was thus elevated and advanced into the space of the deformed nasal tip after the crescent excision. This procedure should be followed by the correction of the deformities in X and Y axis. The medial crus elevation is more effective and critical way to have the constant and nice outcome than the lateral crus reposition in secondary cleft lip nasal deformity.