Efficacy of repair of bilateral complete cleft lip and nasal deformity by 3dMD face system

Objective To assess the effectiveness of the Mulliken＇s method in bilateral complete cleft lip patients with 3dMD system and anthropometric landmarks. Methods Thirty-one infants with bilateral complete cleft lip received treatment in Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University between January 2014 and December 2016. Patients underwent primary cheiloplasty and nasoplasty by the same senior surgeon. Periodic review was taken to measure and record the 7 items in the nasolabial area with three-dimensional (3D) images. Results The labial and nasal deformities were restored after primary surgery. The upper lip and nose were corrected and obtained the symmetric shape. The columella was elongated to acquire favorable nasal tip. The arc of nasal fornix was upward. The ridge of the white lip was continuous and integrated with full vermilion tubercle. Total length of upper lip (Sn-Sto), thickness of the vermilion tubercle (Ls-Sto), protrusion of the nasal tip (Nh) and columellar height (Ch) were markedly improved and there were no significant difference between the observation group and the control group. The significant differences between two groups occurred in values of the nostril width (Nw), which was greater than control group and white lip height (Sn-Ls) and lower than that of control group. Conclusions Mulliken＇s method during the primary cheiloplasty of the bilateral complete cleft lip shows better results in correction the nasal deformity and the ideal effects are achieved during follow-up. Key words: Cleft lip; Reconstructive surgical procedures; Bilateral complete cleft lip; Mulliken＇s method; 3dMD; Labial and nasal deformity synchronous repair