Finite Element Analysis in Cleft Lip Nasal Deformity: A Narrative Review from Biomechanical Insights to Clinical Translation.

Cleft lip nasal deformity poses significant surgical challenges due to its multidimensional anatomical distortions and dynamic biomechanical interactions. Conventional approaches relying on two-dimensional imaging and empirical judgment fail to address the three-dimensional tissue mechanics governing nasal symmetry and airway function. This review demonstrates how finite element analysis (FEA) transforms cleft nasal reconstruction by integrating biomechanical precision with clinical translation. Patient-specific modeling based on CT/MRI data enables FEA to quantify stress-strain distributions during physiological loading, surgical manipulation, and long-term growth. Critical applications span multiple anatomical subunits including osseous, cartilaginous, muscular, and airway components. Closed-loop systems combining preoperative simulations with postoperative validation establish FEA as a transformative tool for precision reconstruction. We propose standardized "clinical data-FEA modeling-surgical validation" protocols to advance population-based biomechanical models toward personalized surgical navigation.Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors   www.springer.com/00266 .