[The study and application of the alar cartilage ring in the treatment of deformities of unilateral cleft lip nose].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible pathogenesis and to look for effective reconstructive procedures of unilateral cleft lip nose. METHODS: The author has had a detailed comparative study by comparing the cartilaginous skeleton of 20 normal cadaver specimens with that of one unilateral cleft lip stillborn, as well as intraoperative findings of 24 clinical patients. RESULTS: There are two alar cartilaginous rings, namely alar cartilaginous fibrous ring and alar cartilaginous muscular ring, in external nose. Both rings are hypoplastic in the cleft lip patients. According to the findings, the author designed and applied a new operation procedure to reconstruct alar cartilage ring for 24 patients from 1994 to 1997. An acceptable short-term results were found. CONCLUSION: Alar cartilaginous fibrous ring and alar cartilaginous muscular ring are very important anatomic structures to maintain the shape of the lower part of the nose. Hypoplasia of these rings is an important factor leading to deformities of the nose. It is very important to reconstruct alar cartilage ring for the patients with unilateral cleft lip nose.