Staged Abbe-Rhinoplasty Technique to Correct Bilateral Cleft Deformity

Overview

The bilateral cleft nose and lip in adulthood shows a deficient central upper lip and lip border, a broad flattened tip and a short strip between the nostrils. Many strategies exist with varying success. This communication describes staging two established operations in a particular order and analyzing the resulting shape.

Sections of note

• The mature bilateral cleft nasolabial deformity is described as showing prolabial and vermilion deficiency, a broad depressed nasal tip, and a short columella.
• Many strategies attempt to correct these features with varying degrees of success.
• The described approach is novel and sequenced, staging an Abbe flap and then rhinoplasty.
• Morphometric analysis of the results is included.
• Level of evidence IV, therapeutic.
• The abstract states no patient numbers, measurements, outcomes, complication rates, or follow-up duration.

What it means for a patient

• An Abbe flap moves a wedge of tissue from the lower lip to rebuild the deficient central upper lip.
• The lip is rebuilt first, then the nose, because the lip forms part of the foundation the nose sits on.
• No numbers are reported in this abstract, so nothing can be said about how well the sequence works.
• The full text would be needed for the measurements and results.

Why this paper matters

Bilateral cleft leaves both the lip and the nose deficient, and the order in which they are corrected affects both. Documenting a specific sequence with shape measurement is the contribution. The abstract carries no data to evaluate it.

Terms

• Bilateral cleft: A cleft affecting both sides of the upper lip.
• Abbe flap: A wedge of tissue moved from the lower lip to rebuild the upper lip.
• Prolabium: The central segment of the upper lip in a bilateral cleft.
• Vermilion: The red part of the lip.
• Morphometric analysis: Measurement of shape and proportion.
• Columella: The strip of tissue between the nostrils.