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Practical Repair Method for Unilateral Cleft Lips: Straight-Line Advanced Release Technique
Rong-Min Baek1, Jun-Ho Choi, Baek-Kyu Kim
1From the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|March 3, 2015
Summary
The novel Straight-Line Advanced Release Technique (StART) offers a new approach to unilateral cleft lip repair. This method achieves satisfactory outcomes with a well-aligned lip contour and minimal scarring.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Craniofacial Surgery
- Pediatric Surgery
Background:
- Traditional straight-line closure for unilateral cleft lip repair, introduced in the 1840s, has limitations.
- Numerous techniques exist, but many are difficult to adopt and have disadvantages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and describe the Straight-Line Advanced Release Technique (StART) for unilateral cleft lip repair.
- To present the application and outcomes of the StART technique in a patient cohort.
Main Methods:
- Preoperative surgical design involves marking 13 points on the skin, vermilion, and oral mucosa.
- Key flaps (A, B, triangular, M, L) are designed, followed by wide dissection to free the orbicularis oris muscle.
- Reconstruction of the orbicularis oris muscle and closure result in a straight vertical skin suture line without transverse scarring.
Main Results:
- The StART technique was used in 145 patients for unilateral cleft lip repair between 1993 and 2012 (excluding microform clefts).
- 14% of patients (21) required a secondary lip operation post-cheiloplasty.
- All patients achieved satisfactory results, characterized by an indistinct straight-lined scar and well-aligned lip contour.
Conclusions:
- The novel StART technique is recommended for unilateral cleft lip repair.
- This method facilitates the acquisition of a natural and balanced lip shape.
