Evaluation of secondary functional cheilorhinoplasty during growth of cleft patients with residual lip and nasal deformities.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of secondary functional cheilorhinoplasty of residual lip and nasal deformities caused by muscular deficiency in cleft patients.


METHODS
During a 4-year period, 31 patients underwent cheilorhinoplasty, including complete reopening of the cleft borders and differentiated mimic muscle reorientation. In 21 patients, remarkable residual clefts of the anterior palate were also closed. Simultaneous alveolar bone grafting was performed in 15 patients. The minimum follow-up was 1 year. Cosmetic features evaluated were spontaneous facial appearance and changes in position of the nasal floor and the philtrum. The width of the alar base was measured. For functional outcomes, deficiency during mimic movements was evaluated, using standardized photographs taken preoperatively and postoperatively. The final results, judged according to defined criteria with several clinical factors, were compared.


RESULTS
Cosmetic and functional improvement was achieved in all patients. In young patients (aged 4 to 9 years), the improvements were noteworthy. There were no differences in outcomes between the groups with and without simultaneous grafting, except for unilateral cases with minor muscular deficiency, in whom bone grafting before cheilorhinoplasty led to better results.


CONCLUSIONS
In cases of major muscular deficiency, early cheilorhinoplasty should be performed at age 7 years, without waiting for the usual timing of bone grafting. In minor and moderate cases, the operation can ideally be done in combination with bone grafting.
Smolka
Koord
K
Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Eggernsperger
Nicloe
N
Iizuka
Tateyuki
T
Smolka
Wenko
W
D000293:Adolescent; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055171:Nasal Cartilages / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D009666:Nose / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult