Primary repair of the bilateral cleft lip nose: a long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The author previously published a method of primary repair of bilateral cleft lip nasal deformity using an open tip rhinoplasty to enable correction of the displaced and deformed alar cartilages.

METHODS: The first 10 consecutive children who had this treatment have been followed through to adulthood. They are now 18 to 19 years old, and the long-term results of this primary nasal repair are reviewed.

RESULTS: In general, the repair has been effective and stable. There has been no interference with growth. In most cases, the external nasal scars are barely noticeable.

CONCLUSIONS: In primary treatment of the bilateral cleft lip nose, an open tip rhinoplasty enables accurate replacement of the alar cartilages and correction of the deformity. It justifies the creation of an external scar that is usually unnoticeable.