Use of the Modified Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair Technique to Establish a Cupid's Bow With a Natural Structure.

INTRODUCTION

There are several surgical techniques for unilateral cleft lip repair. In most of these techniques, the points where the postoperative scars cross the vermilion border are on the peak of the Cupid's bow. These scars make the shape of Cupid's bow indistinct. To maintain the natural shape of the Cupid's bow, we modified the surgical technique.

METHODS

We modified the modified Millard's surgical technique (Onizuka's surgical technique). The main point of this modification was as follows: we combined a small triangular flap and a vermilion triangular flap (described by Noordhoff). We maintained the projection point on the lateral side of cleft lip which was coordinated to the peak of the Cupid's bow.

RESULTS

We could preserve the shape and symmetry of the peak of the Cupid's bow.

CONCLUSION

To keep the projection point on the affected side of cleft lip and the surrounding vermilion border as one curve structure is important in maintaining the natural shape of the Cupid's bow.