Repair of bilateral complete cleft lip and nasal deformity--state of the art.

OBJECTIVE: Dissatisfaction with the stigmata of repaired bilateral cleft lip has stimulated surgeons to change conventional operative strategies. The old staged labial repairs, one side and later the other, have been replaced by simultaneous closure. For nasal correction, most surgeons no longer believe that the columella is deficient, and thus there is no need to recruit tissue from the lip or nostril sills as a secondary procedure. The columella is concealed in the nose. The new strategy is to construct the columella and nasal tip by anatomic positioning of the alar cartilages and sculpting the investing skin. Furthermore, nasal correction is done at the time of bilateral labial repair and, whenever possible, the alveolar clefts are closed as well. The goal is primary repair of the primary palate.

CONCLUSION: Although the principles of synchronous repair of the bilateral complete cleft lip and nasal deformity are established, the techniques continue to evolve. Bilateral nasolabial repair requires continual study of three-dimensional form and fourth-dimensional changes that are normal and altered by the deformity. Every surgeon who lifts a knife to care for these children has an obligation to periodically assess outcome.