Arch Plast Surg.  2015 Nov;42(6):704-708. 10.5999/aps.2015.42.6.704.

Columella Lengthening with a Full-Thickness Skin Graft for Secondary Bilateral Cleft Lip and Nose Repair

• Lee YS
• Shin DH
• Choi HG
• Kim JN
• Lee MC
• Kim SH
• Kim CK
• Jo DI
• Uhm KI

• KMID: 2152450
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5999/aps.2015.42.6.704

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Various techniques for lengthening short columellae have been used for bilateral cleft nose repair. However, previous methods have not yielded satisfactory results. We performed a full-thickness skin graft to lengthen short columellae during secondary cleft nose repair in adult patients.
METHODS
Ten bilateral cleft lip and nose patients underwent secondary cheiloplasty with open rhinoplasty between July 2008 and August 2014. The patients underwent a full-thickness skin graft on the medial crura to elongate the columella. The average age of the patients at the time of surgery was 22.2 years. Nasal profiles were evaluated before and after the operation using the photogrammetric method.
RESULTS
The nasal profiles were improved in all patients, and all skin grafts were well taken, with the exception of one patient. Columellar height, nostril height, and columella-lip angle increased, and nasal width decreased significantly. The ratios of columellar height to nasal height, columellar height to nasal width, and nasal height to nasal width increased to a statistically significant extent.
CONCLUSIONS
Columella lengthening with a full-thickness skin graft is a simple and effective method for the repair of severely short columellae in bilateral cleft nose patients. We had satisfactory outcomes, with good color matching and aesthetically pleasing contours.

Keyword

Cleft lip; Nose; Skin transplantation

MeSH Terms

Adult
Cleft Lip*
Humans
Nose*
Rhinoplasty
Skin Transplantation
Skin*
Transplants*