Symmetry and morbidity assessment of unilateral complete cleft lip nose corrected with or without primary nasal correction.

OBJECTIVE: Unilateral complete cleft lip patients treated with or without a primary nasal correction at the time of cleft lip repair were compared to evaluate the relevance of early surgical correction of the nose by using two assessments: nasal symmetry and morbidity.

DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS: The no nasal correction group (NNC, n = 19) was operated by surgeon A using the Millard technique. The primary nasal correction group (PNC, n = 9) was operated by surgeon B combining the modified Millard technique with a columellar lift and alar mobilization. Symmetry was assessed on two sets of standardized photographs at 9 years of age using a computer-assisted analysis. Both cleft groups were compared with normal controls (NC, n = 20). The computer method included area and angular measurements. Morbidity was assessed by the number of procedures on the vermilion, the lip, and/ or nose for revisional surgery up to the age of 9 (NNC, n = 26; PNC, n = 12).

RESULTS: No significant differences in symmetry were found between the NNC and PNC groups regarding the area and angular measurements. With regard to the area measurements, both cleft groups produced a significant asymmetry when compared to the NC group. Concerning the angular measurements, however, the NNC group differed significantly from the NC group, whereas such a difference could not be noted between the PNC group and NC group. With respect to morbidity, no revisional procedures were performed in the PNC group. The number of revisional procedures in the NNC group was 16 in 10 patients.

CONCLUSION: Results are presented that favor, up to the age of 9 years, a primary nasal correction at the time of cleft lip repair.