The effect of subspinal Le Fort I osteotomy and alar cinch suture on nasal widening

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the relationships between upper jaw movements and nasal soft-tissue changes in patients who have undergone subspinal Le Fort I osteotomy combined with alar cinch suture. Single and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between greatest inter-alar width (GAW) and maxillary advancement, maxillary impaction, and rotational movements. The database of our referral hospital was searched for patients who had undergone upper jaw surgery with a subspinal LFI osteotomy to correct dentoskeletal deformities between April 2012 and June 2016. Thirty-eight of the patients (15 men and 23 women) who were identified were eligible for inclusion. The average change in inter-alar width (ΔGAW) was +1.7 ± 1.2 mm. GAW increased by 0.3 mm (p < 0.0001) for each millimetre of maxillary advancement, and increased by 0.5 mm (p < 0.0001) for each millimetre of maxillary impaction. GAW increased by 0.2 mm for each degree of counterclockwise rotation of the occlusal plane (p < 0.0001). An analysis of our data compared with the current literature confirmed that subspinal Le Fort I combined with alar cinch suture reduced alar base widening.