Cleft rhinoplasty columellar lengthening: Comparison of techniques.

[BACKGROUND] Nasal deformity in bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) correction is highly challenging. Several solution has been proposed. The aim of the present study is to assess qualitatively and quantitatively the results of Cronin's flap, Fork flap, and Abbe's flap for BCLP rhinoplasty at a follow-up period.

[MATERIALS AND METHODS] : Records of all BCLP rhinoplasty performed between 2010 and 2016, fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria were collected. From records, qualitative improvement and previously described methods of quantification of columella length were performed. These collected data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and one-way analysis of variance tests. P ≤ 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.

[RESULTS] Forty-eight cases fulfilled the criteria of which 31 patients had Abbe's flap, 9 Cronin, and 8 forked flaps. The mean age of the study population was 20.33 ± 4.94 years in 21 females and 27 males with a mean follow-up of 15.3 ± 2.3 months. The success of the lengthening of columella at immediate postoperative period as compared to the preoperative columella length was not statistically different (P = 0.176) between the three flaps, while the same was statistically different at 1-year period (P = 0.031). The extent of change was very minimal for the Abbe flap with a high degree of statistical significance (P = 0.000). At 1-year postoperative period, 83.9% (n = 26) of Abbe flap patients felt their nose to be good after surgery while the same was 55.6% (n = 5) in Cronin flap design and 37.5% (n = 3) in forked flap design (P = 0.007).

[DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION] Abbe flap gave the best results under most of the common BCLP rhinoplasty, and a flap choice algorithm for choice of flap was arrived based on this experience.