Cleft rhinoplasty is a nasal reshaping procedure for persons who have a deformed nose due to a cleft lip or palate. Cleft rhinoplasty is significantly more complicated than a standard rhinoplasty (“nose job”), which is why you should seek out a specialist who has performed cleft rhinoplasty before.
Cleft lip and palate are among the most frequent malformation of the face, causing deformities in the lips, and often, in the nose, thereby being easily noticed in affected individuals. The syndrome most associated with cleft lip and palate is Patau’s syndrome, and the diagnosis can be made using ultrasonography from the 14th gestational week.
There is a higher incidence in people with a positive family history, who are at 30 to 40 times higher risk than in the rest of the population.
How does cleft lip affect the nose?
Patients born with cleft lip and palate often present aesthetic and functional deformity of the nose. They do need a nasal correction called rhinoplasty to remedy this deformity/dysfunction. Basically, it is necessary to correct the cartilages that make up the nasal tip and correct other functional components of the nose, if necessary.
Rhinoplasty is usually done in the early stages of treatment, wherein it is called primary rhinoplasty. However, the nose develops more in adolescence, and secondary rhinoplasty may need to be performed.
Often, a cleft lip is usually corrected around 3 to 6 months of life, and cleft palate is corrected around 12 to 18 months of age. Early surgery is necessary because the malformation causes difficulty in breastfeeding by preventing the formation of the vacuum necessary for sucking milk from the nipple or bottle, which can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and aspiration pneumonia.
The initial approach for patients with cleft lip and palate is to restore anatomy and function. After this corrective surgery, over the years surgical retouches are performed to improve results if necessary and convenient for the patient.
Cleft rhinoplasty in adult
Adults should not believe that cleft rhinoplasty or cleft lip revision are not options for them simply because of their age. Adults who were born with a cleft lip may be interested in a cleft rhinoplasty to improve the look of their nose and/or a cleft lip revision to improve the appearance of their lip.
Adult cleft lip revisions are comparable to those performed on children and teenagers, with the exception that aging may have contributed to potential challenges about the lip’s look, such as upper lip thinning.
Anyone who is concerned about these issues should know that they are not alone and should seek the advice of a professional rhinoplasty surgeon.
Getting a cleft rhinoplasty done
Cleft Rhinoplasty is usually regarded as the most difficult rhinoplasty procedure to perform exceptionally well. To obtain an aesthetically acceptable and natural appearance following cleft rhinoplasty, it is critical to select an expert surgeon. Dr. Arabshahi is a cleft rhinoplasty expert who performs the procedure frequently at his practice – Nova Rhinoplasty. He tailors his technique to each patient based on their nasal anatomy and desired aesthetic changes. Cleft rhinoplasty is frequently coupled with other surgeries to improve nasal airflow, such as septoplasty for a deviated septum and turbinate reduction to enhance breathing.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Alidad Arabshahi at Nova Rhinoplasty today should you wish to learn more about how a cleft rhinoplasty may help you or a loved one.
Reference
Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4606687/
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