BACKGROUND: Efforts to obtain the best possible results in the nasal region of cleft patients are an ongoing process; it is therefore essential to correctly diagnose any changes in the nasal anatomy of cleft palate patients that occur over time and after surgical intervention. The aims of the present study were: (1) to evaluate the percentage of nose asymmetry in patients with either complete or incomplete unilateral cleft lip and palate who underwent primary cleft lip repair with the Mohler technique, both in the immediate postoperative period (T1) and after 1 year (T2); and (2) to compare the percentage of nasal asymmetry in both postoperative periods using the same indexes in children without cleft lip and palate. METHODS: During the period from March 2007 to December 2010, 27 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate were submitted to primary cleft lip repair. Measurements of area, height, height at ¼ of the medial width, and height of the base of the nose were obtained from two-dimensional photos by using Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended®. Statistical comparison of the values obtained for nasal asymmetry in the immediate postoperative period and 1 year after surgery was performed with ANOVA. RESULTS: Percentile indexes of nasal asymmetry for cleft patients showed statistical differences in all variables when compared to controls, with the exception being the base of the nose. CONCLUSIONS: The results we obtained showed an improvement in nasal symmetry, although there was a tendency to relapse from the result obtained in T1. Patients with complete cleft were more susceptible to relapse with regard to the position of the nose.
Cleft palate; Cleft lip; Reconstructive surgical procedures
