Digital Workflow for Customized Nasal Conformers in Cleft Lip Repair

This report presents a digital workflow for fabricating a unilateral customized nasal conformer to achieve nasal symmetry, reduce relapse, and maintain airway patency following unilateral cleft lip repair. A silicone impression of the infant's nose and lip was obtained and scanned to produce an standard tessellation language (STL) file, which was processed in 3-Matics software. The conformer was designed by mirroring the normal nostril and applying a 1-mm offset, with incorporated suture holes for intraoperative fixation, and then 3D printed in polymethylmethacrylate. Following Fisher unilateral cleft lip repair, the conformer was secured in place using two 4-0 polypropylene sutures and retained for 3 months. Patients were evaluated 1 year postoperatively for symmetry. The customized conformer maintained nostril patency, improved nasal symmetry, and reduced relapse, contributing to enhanced nasolabial esthetics and stable airway support.