Unilateral cleft lip rhinoplasty

Cleft lip rhinoplasty is a challenging procedure both in terms of obtaining desirable appearance and function, but also in achieving consistency across one's patient population. Classically, formal nasal surgery was delayed until the patient had completed nasal and mid-facial growth; however, this paradigm is changing, and more rhinoplasty is being performed at the time of the lip repair which has revolutionized patient outcomes. The 3 options for repair in terms of timing are designated as primary, intermediate, and secondary (defined later in this text). At our institution, most cases are either primary or secondary, with intermediate rhinoplasty reserved for only special circumstances. This article aims to describe the relevant anatomy and its aberrancy as well as discuss the surgical techniques to repair the cleft nasal deformity.