Comparative Analysis of Three-Dimensional Nasal Shape of Casts from Patients With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Treated at Two Institutions Following Rotation Advancement Only (Iowa) or Nasoalveolar Molding and Rotation Advancement in Conjunction With Primary Rhinoplasty (New York).

OBJECTIVES: To compare 3-dimensional nasal symmetry in patients with UCLP who had either rotation advancement alone or nasoalveolar molding (NAM) followed by rotation advancement in conjunction with primary nasal repair.

DESIGN: Pilot retrospective cohort study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nasal casts of 23 patients with UCLP from 2 institutions were analyzed; 12 in the rotation advancement only group (Iowa) and 11 in the NAM, rotation advancement with primary nasal repair group (New York). Casts from patients aged 6 to 18 years were scanned using the 3Shape scanner and 3-dimensional analysis of nasal symmetry performed using 3dMD Vultus software, Version 2507, 3dMD, Atlanta, GA. Cleft and noncleft side columellar height, nasal dome height, alar base width, and nasal projection were linearly measured. Inter- and intragroup analyses were performed using t tests and paired t tests as appropriate.

RESULTS: A statistically significant difference in mean-scaled 3-dimensional asymmetry index was found between groups with group 1 having a larger measure of asymmetry (4.69 cm3 ) than group 2 (2.56 cm3 ; P = .02). Intergroup analysis performed on the most sensitive linear measure, alar base width, revealed significantly less asymmetry on average in group 2 than in group 1 ( P = .013).

CONCLUSION: This study suggests the NAM followed by rotation advancement in conjunction with primary nasal repair approach may result in less nasal asymmetry compared to rotation advancement alone.