Safe Limits of Lateral Nasal Wall Osteotomy at Le Fort I Surgery

The aim of this study was to define the difference between lateral nasal wall anatomy and variations as linear and angular in patients with class II and class III dentofacial deformities and to determine a surgical margin for safe entry by establishing an ideal osteotomy line for lateral nasal wall osteotomy during Le Fort I surgery.

Eighty-five patients with dentofacial deformities, who were admitted to Medipol Mega University Hospital between September 2018 and February 2021, and 170 regions, including the right and left, were evaluated. In the axial image taken from coronal sections 5 mm above the deepest point of the nasal floor, lateral nasal wall angulations and linear and angular distances to the descending palatine canal were measured. Class II and class III patients were evaluated according to the right and left regions and gender.

The angled right distance values to the descending palatine artery of class III patients are higher than the values of the angled left distance to the descending palatine canal (p = 0.034). The right second angulation levels of class II female patients are higher than those of class II male patients (p = 0.037). Class III male patients have a significantly higher right linear distance to the descending palatine canal and right second angulation levels compared to class III female patients (p1 = 0.009; p2 = 0.003). The right second angulation levels of class II male patients are significantly lower than those of class III male patients (p = 0.003).

This study described the mean angulations and linear distances between anatomic structures of the lateral nasal wall in patients with class II and class III dentofacial deformities for the purpose of a safe osteotomy. The location of the descending palatine canal and the morphology of the lateral nasal wall are not significantly associated with dentofacial deformity.