Correction of alar deformity in cleft lip by marginal incision

A surgical technique is described for correcting the drooping alar rim associated with cleft lip. An incision is made on the cleft-side alar rim such that the rims will be symmetrical. After extensive undermining between the dorsal skin and alar cartilages, a suspension suture is positioned so as to pull the drooping point of the nostril rim in an anteromediocranial direction to the septovestibular junction on the normal side. The upper and lateral walls of the nasal vestibule, together with the alar cartilage, are fixed to the dorsal skin in a pushed-back position using a special technique. For the nose to retain its corrected shape, it is important that hematoma does not develop and that the chondrovestibular flap be fixed to the dorsal skin under adequate pressure and over a wide area.