Cleft rhinoplasty

It is universally accepted that correction of cleft lip nose deformity remains a formidable challenge for any cleft surgeon. The nose is a prominent part of the face, and hence a masterly executed cleft lip repair directs the beholders' eyes from the deformed lip to the deformed nose. A deformed nose that results from unilateral cleft of the lip and palate is likened to a tent whose one side is depressed. Many investigators believe that the deformity of the nose is produced by the malpositioning of essentially normal structures, on the other hand some cleft surgeons contend that it is the intrinsic defects in nasal structures that result in cleft nasal deformity. Depressed and hypoplastic bony scaffolding is the most important aspect of cleft nose deformity and addressing this aspect of cleft nose deformity is the secret of success of a perfect secondary rhinoplasty. Controversy still exists on timing of cleft nasal deformity. Proponents of delayed nasal repair suggest that altering the cartilages in early nasal repair at the time of lip repair would complicate future corrective nasal surgeries if the primary repair would prove unsatisfactory. The correction of nasal deformity could be performed with closed or open technique. This paper highlights one such challenging unilateral cleft lip nasal deformity in a adult patient treated by secondary rhinoplasty by open technique.