B-ENT

Unique approach to secondary cleft-lip rhinoplasty in facial plastic surgery

1.

Leuven Cleft Lip Palate Team coordinated by V. Vander Poorten

2.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

3.

Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium

B-ENT 2010; 6: Supplement 97-101
Read: 953 Downloads: 691 Published: 18 February 2020

Rhinoplasty occupies a unique position in facial plastic surgery due to the central position of the nose in the face and the vital functions of the nose. Among facial plastic surgeons, secondary rhinoplasty in adult cleft-lip patients is considered to be one of the most challenging surgical interventions due to the congenital distortion of the cartilaginous and bony nasal pyramid, with consequences for both nasal aesthetics and breathing. In spite of the challenging nature of the procedure, post-operative satisfaction is high, matching that of non-cleft-lip patients, as long as appropriate surgical techniques are applied. Specific rhinoplasty methods are used in unilateral or bilateral cleft-lip patients with extensive grafting, combined efforts for aligning the nasal dorsum and the creation of symmetry in the nasal tip, medialisation of the anterior nasal spine with augmentation of the premaxilla, correction of nasal vestibulum stenosis and specific post-operative care with a nasal vestibulum device. This review aims to address some specific surgical issues relating to cleft-lip rhinoplasty, resulting in the high subjective satisfaction rate reported by cleft patients operated upon in the University Hospitals Leuven.

Files
EISSN 2684-4907