Cleft lip-nose

Patients with cleft lips often have abnormal nasal anatomy which requires rhinoplasty. The nose usually sways to one side, and the cartilages are mis-shaped.

A cleft lip-nose deformity develops because the tissues that form the lip, nostril, septum, and nasal cartilages do not grow in the usual position. The exact appearance depends on whether the cleft is unilateral or bilateral and on the patient’s previous repairs. In a unilateral cleft, the nose may lean toward one side, the nostrils may have different shapes, and the cartilage on the cleft side may sit lower or flatter.

The concern is more complex than a simple crooked nose because it can involve the skin, cartilage, septum, nasal base, and underlying facial structure. Some patients also have breathing problems related to septal deviation or narrowing inside the nose. Surgical planning takes into account facial growth, prior scars, earlier cleft procedures, and the amount and quality of cartilage available for reconstruction.