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Background: Tip refinement procedures are still controversial in secondary unilateral cleft rhinoplasty. The aim of this study was to assess whether the septal extension graft improved nasal and tip deformity and achieved a normal profile with clinical and three-dimensional morphometric analyses., Methods: A consecutive series of 194 skeletally mature patients with unilateral cleft were included and analyzed. All had undergone secondary open rhinoplasty, performed by a single surgeon, with the use of the septal extension graft between 2013 and 2021. Clinical data were collected, and three-dimensional morphometric measurements were performed. An age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched normal group was included for comparisons., Results: The authors' standard procedures included open approach combining reverse-U incision, septal extension graft, dorsal augmentation, lip revision, and vermilion augmentation. The postoperative outcome showed significantly increased numerical values (nasal bridge length, nasal height, nasal tip projection, nasal dorsum angle, columellar angle, columellar-lobule angle, nostril height ratio, nasal surface area, nasal volume) and decreased numerical values (alar width, tip/middle deviation, nasal tip angle, labial-columellar angle) compared with the preoperative morphology. The postoperative measurement showed significantly higher numerical values (nasal protrusion, tip/middle deviation, nasal dorsum angle) and lower numerical values (columellar-lobule angle, nostril height ratio, alar width ratio) compared with the control group., Conclusions: This study revealed that the authors' secondary cleft rhinoplasty significantly improved the underprojected, up-rotated, deviated, and poorly defined tip and short nasal bridge deformities. The technique could result in the nose of the patients with cleft lip nasal deformity being closer to that of the normative profile., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: In the setting of facial palsy, synkinesis of the depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle is a common pathology, impairing dynamic and resting facial symmetry.In this prospective study, the authors used high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) to evaluate the morphologic features of DAO and to quantify bilateral differences in DAO cross-sectional diameter (CSD) in individuals with unilateral synkinesis., Methods: From June of 2020 to May of 2021, 30 patients (19 women, 11 men) with clinically diagnosed unilateral synkinesis underwent evaluation with HRUS. DAO CSD was measured bilaterally, 1 cm inferior to the modiolus, in both the resting and smiling positions., Results: The Sunnybrook Facial Grading System Synkinesis Score was 6.20 ± 2.48 (range, 0 to 10). DAO CSD at rest measured 2.41 ± 0.67 mm (range, 1.40 to 4.00 mm) on the control side and 2.66 ± 0.98 mm (range, 1.60 to 5.10 mm) on the affected side. On the control side, DAO CSD was reduced by -0.19 ± 0.43 mm (range, -1.10 to 1.12 mm) during smiling. In contrast, the synkinetic DAO CSD increased by 0.64 ± 0.38 mm (range, 0.00 to 1.59 mm) ( P < 0.001) with animation. The pattern of increased CSD in synkinetic DAO muscles and decreased or unchanged CSD on the control side during smiling was identified in 70% of patients., Conclusions: HRUS demonstrates increased CSD in synkinetic DAO muscles during active smiling. The opposite is true for DAO muscles on the control side, which exhibit decreased CSD with animation. HRUS can be performed preoperatively to objectify DAO dysfunction and guide targeted therapy., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Diagnostic, IV., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Surgeons-in-training learning how to perform cleft surgery should not only acquire a broad repertoire of technical details but also master the proper execution of techniques based on the modern principles of bilateral cleft lip repair with synchronous reconstruction of cleft nose deformity. This article describes a bilateral complete cleft lip repair by adopting these principles, plus a modified composition of mucosal flaps for the nasal floor and intraoral linings, including the prolabial mucosal flap, C-flap mucosal flap, inferior turbinate mucosal flap, and lateral nasal mucosal flap. The accompanying four-part video series presents the step-by-step approach for design and execution of this alternative technique.

Background: Secondary alveolar bone grafting is the gold standard for the treatment of alveolar clefts in cleft lip and palate patients. The authors present a modified method using a Scarpa fascia graft that is placed deep into the mucoperiosteal pocket for watertight sealing of the bone graft chamber and limiting the graft position to the alveolar region for bony stability and tooth support. The outcome was assessed for clinical success in terms of bone graft stability and infection rate., Methods: Seventy-four unilateral complete cleft lip and palate patients were enrolled in this retrospective study consisting of equal-size Scarpa fascia and control groups of consecutive unilateral complete cleft lip and palate patients undergoing secondary alveolar bone grafting. Occlusal radiographs of the alveolar cleft taken at least 1 year postoperatively were evaluated for Spearman correlated Bergland and Witherow scales. Statistical evaluation was conducted using t test, chi-square test, and odds ratio., Results: The clinical success rate (Bergland types I and II) of the Scarpa fascia procedure was significantly higher (67.6 versus 94.6 percent, respectively), with a significantly lower infection rate (16.2 versus 2.7 percent, respectively) and a high correlation of Bergland and Witherow scales (0.964; p < 0.001). There was no wound dehiscence, fistula, bone graft exposure, or additional donor-site morbidity in the Scarpa fascia group., Conclusion: The authors' new method of alveolar bone grafting with the Scarpa fascia graft is safe and effective, and has one of the highest documented success rates., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, III.

Background: A simple algorithm is applied to treat velopharyngeal insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to assess its success rate and complications., Methods: The diagnosis includes speech perceptual assessment and nasopharyngoscopy, focusing on velopharyngeal closure ratio. The treatment is composed of a double-opposing Z-plasty for marginal velopharyngeal insufficiency or a pharyngeal flap for moderate to severe velopharyngeal insufficiency. A retrospective chart review was conducted for 84 consecutive nonsyndromic postpalatoplasty patients undergoing velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery from August of 2007 to December of 2014. The demographic, perioperative, and follow-up data were collected. Statistical analyses were performed., Results: Mean age at velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery was 7.0 years. The overall improvement rate for patients was 86.9 percent. Nine patients in the double-opposing Z-plasty group and two patients in the pharyngeal flap group were refractory to velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery. The improvement rates for each surgical group were 80.4 percent for the double-opposing Z-plasty group and 94.7 percent for the pharyngeal flap group. There were no significant differences in postoperative velopharyngeal function between the coronal and noncoronal groups. Airway-associated complications were observed in nine patients (10.7 percent). The complications in the double-opposing Z-plasty group were observed in two patients (4.3 percent), and none of the patients presented obstructive sleep apnea. Seven patients (18.4 percent) in the pharyngeal flap group showed postoperative snoring, and one (2.6 percent) of them presented with obstructive sleep apnea., Conclusion: The authors' algorithm is a simple patient- and surgeon-friendly strategy to obtain satisfactory improvement of velopharyngeal function for velopharyngeal insufficiency patients, with a low risk of airway complications., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV.

Background: A smaller Z-plasty is applied in a modified Furlow palatoplasty. The purpose of this study was to assess its surgical and functional outcome., Methods: The surgical technique included mucoperiosteal flap elevation in the hard palate, complete pedicle dissection and release, double-opposing Z-plasty using 5-mm limbs and muscle dissection in the soft palate, and the buccal fat pad covering lateral relaxing wounds. A retrospective chart review was conducted for 231 consecutive nonsyndromic patients undergoing modified palatoplasty from May of 2007 to December of 2014. The demographic, postoperative, and follow-up data were collected. Statistical analyses were performed., Results: Average age at palatoplasty was 8.3 months. The overall oronasal fistula rate was 0.4 percent; oronasal fistula occurred in only one case with bilateral cleft. Other complications included postoperative bleeding in two cases (0.8 percent), postoperative airway obstruction in one case (0.4 percent), obstructive sleep apnea in one case (0.4 percent), stitch abscess in one case (0.4 percent), and distal uvula dehiscence in two cases (0.8 percent). One hundred twenty-seven patients had full speech evaluation, and seven (5.5 percent) were diagnosed with velopharyngeal insufficiency requiring surgical correction., Conclusion: This modified palatoplasty using a small double-opposing Z-plasty provided adequate cleft palate closure, with a low fistula rate and satisfactory speech outcome., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV.

Background: The almost single disadvantage of conventional polyurethane film dressings, uncontrolled leakage, is probably as often described as its numerous advantages for split-thickness skin graft donor sites. This shortcoming can be overcome by perforating the polyurethane dressing, which permits controlled leakage into a secondary absorbent dressing. The study was conducted to compare the polyurethane dressing system and Aquacel, a hydrofiber wound dressing, which also seems to fulfill all criteria of an ideal donor-site dressing., Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial included 50 adult patients. Skin graft donor sites were divided equally for the application of Aquacel and polyurethane dressing. The dressings were kept unchanged for 10 days. After removal of the dressing at day 10, the epithelialization rate of both sites was evaluated. Pain scores were assessed according to a 0 to 5 numeric pain scale every postoperative day and during dressing removal., Results: On postoperative day 10, 86.4 percent of the polyurethane dressing donor sites showed complete reepithelialization compared with 54.5 percent of the Aquacel-treated donor sites (p<0.001). Polyurethane dressing was significantly less painful until and during removal of the dressing (p<0.001). There was no significant difference with respect to scar formation., Conclusions: Overall, polyurethane dressing was superior to Aquacel. Further attributes of the polyurethane dressing such as ease of application, low labor input, high patient comfort, and protection against secondary wound infection qualify this dressing system as an ideal wound covering for donor sites., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, II.