Anatomy of the nasal cartilages of the unilateral complete cleft lip nose.

The purpose of this study was to disclose the relationship between the anomaly of the cartilaginous framework and the nasal deformity of cleft lip. The noses of six stillborn infants with unilateral complete cleft lip were carefully dissected. The size and weight of the lower lateral cartilages were measured to determine whether there was a significant difference between the normal and involved sides. The position of the nasal cartilages was observed, and the distance between them was measured to determine whether they were normal. The surgical dissection revealed that the lower lateral cartilages from both sides were asymmetrical in three dimensions, indicating the displacement of the lower lateral cartilage on the involved side. There was displacement of the cartilaginous septum and the upper lateral cartilage. The statistical evaluation did not demonstrate a significant difference between weight and size of the two sides. One of the major causative factors of nasal deformity is displacement of the nasal cartilages. There is no hypoplasia of nasal cartilage in newborn infants with cleft lip.