Mature Cleft Rhinoplasty: Morphologic Outcomes of Septal Cartilage Grafting

<i>Objective</i>To evaluate morphologic outcomes following mature cleft rhinoplasty using exclusive septum cartilage grafting.<i>Design</i>Retrospective, observational study.SettingSingle institution, 8-year retrospective review.Patients/ParticipantsA total of 31 facially mature patients with non-syndromic unilateral cleft lip were included in this study.InterventionsPatients underwent mature cleft rhinoplasty using septum cartilage as the exclusive graft source.Main Outcome MeasuresPreoperative and postoperative photographs (at least 1 year after surgery) were analyzed using 8 distinct anthropometric parameters to assess for statistical significance in the changes to nasal morphology. Paired-samples <i>t</i>-tests were performed, and statistical significance was defined as <i>P</i> < .05.<i>Results</i>The mean changes following mature cleft rhinoplasty were: alar cant 1.96 to 0.95 (<i>P</i> < .001), alar height angle 1.90 to 1.21 (<i>P</i> = .006), nasal tip deviation 2.90 to 1.99 (<i>P</i> < .001), vertical alar height ratio 0.95 to 0.95 (<i>P</i> = .4), nasofacial angle 28.52 to 31.48 (<i>P</i> = .003), nasolabial angle 83.15 to 87.96 (<i>P</i> = .01), columellar angle 9.09 to 3.30 (<i>P</i> < .0001), and nostril height ratio 0.80 to 0.88 (<i>P</i> < .001).<i>Conclusions</i>The nasal septum can be considered as a reliable initial choice for cartilage grafts during mature cleft rhinoplasty.