Presurgical nasoalveolar molding assisted primary reconstruction in complete unilateral cleft lip palate infants.

Background: Various methods have been described for the primary surgical reconstruction of the unilateral cleft lip and palate deformity (UCLP) in infants. There have been several attempts at restoring the normal anatomy of the nose at the time of lip repair in the affected individuals with varying degrees of success. Presurgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) is a presurgical infant orthopedic procedure that attempts to target the nasal deformity leading to a more esthetic surgical repair.

Objective: At our center we aimed to use PNAM to help in providing the surgical team with a better foundation for an easier and more esthetic single stage repair at the level of nose in addition to the lip and alveolus.

Method: The infant nasal cartilages are amenable to correction in the first few weeks of life when they retain their plasticity. Three infants with complete unilateral cleft lip palate (CUCLP) were operated upon after a course of PNAM. No nasal stents were use after repair to retain the results.

Results: PNAM reduced the extent of the cleft deformity and improved the anatomic relationship between the affected structures. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Subjective evaluation immediate post surgery and at the time of palate repair reveals adequate nasolabial esthetics. Long-term results of PNAM assisted repair are to be ascertained.

Conclusions: The use of PNAM enables in reducing the severity of the deformity the surgical team has to tackle thereby enabling in a better and esthetic primary repair.