A novel approach to cleft lip nose deformity: posterior dome graft technique.

The pathology of "nasal tip complex" remains as a problem to be solved in unilateral cleft lip nose deformity wherein open rhinoplasty and cartilage grafts are used frequently. For this reason, the research for the treatment of cleft-side tip projection lost and ala depression still continues. Our technique is to put the cartilage graft at posterior dome area after the release of cleft-side ala from vestibular mucosa and skin to elevate the ala depression and tip projection. This technique has been used on 16 patients between the years 2003 and 2007. This technique, different from the augmentation methods, aims to increase the direct lateral crura's elastic support strength and to support the new position of alar cartilage. This method will particularly be helpful in obtaining the long-term results in delayed and serious cases.