title: Columellar flap for secondary cleft rhinoplasty with esthetic improvement of Millard's unilateral cheiloplasty scar.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Columellar cartilage graft helps improve esthetic results in secondary cleft rhinoplasty for patients presenting with cleft lips. However, inadequate skin coverage of the cartilaginous graft can result in columellar necrosis and graft loss. Moreover, the scar after Millard's primary cheiloplasty may not be esthetic. The aim of this article was to present the columellar flap technique to cover the columellar graft and to improve the scar after unilateral Millard's cheiloplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  The triangular flap is drawn on the edge of Millard's cheiloplasty scar. It is then moved in a V-Y fashion so as to cover the cartilaginous graft and improve the esthetic aspect of the new columella.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four hundred and twelve teenage/adult rhinoplasties were performed in our department over 10 years (October 2001 to October 2011). This flap was used in 10 patients who were followed-up for at least 1 year. There were no severe postoperative complications. Millard's unilateral cheiloplasty scar was less visible. A prospective study is ongoing.
authors.affiliation: Department of oral, craniomaxillofacial and facial plastic surgery, faculty of medicine, university hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Pausch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hemprich
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Subbalekha
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dhanuthai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neff
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pitak-Arnnop
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002356:Cartilage / Q000601:surgery; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000601:surgery; D009666:Nose / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cicatrice; Cleft lip; Fente labiale; Rhinoplastie; Rhinoplasty; Scar