The importance of primary rhinoplasty at the time of initial unilateral cleft lip repair.

摘要

OVER THE YEARS, cleft surgeons have often been reluctant to perform primary rhinoplasty on children with cleft lip deformities. This reluctance is a result of paying attention to experimental work, which suggests that specific growth centers exist in the nose. It is thought that early surgical interruption of these growth centers can adversely affect subsequent nasal growth. Cleft surgeons realize that most patients with cleft deformities will eventually require definitive rhinoplasty. Early operations also create scarring that may make future procedures more difficult.