Résumé
Evaluation of the result on the nasal septum (NS) of primary anterior septoplasty in cleft surgery is lacking. The deviation in patients with a cleft between those with (S+) and without (S-) primary anterior septoplasty during a cleft lip repair was compared.
This was a retrospective, descriptive, single-center study. The NS was evaluated on computed tomography scans obtained preoperatively from patients who underwent surgery for an alveolar cleft defect. Deviation of the NS was evaluated on the basis of 3-dimensional configuration of the NS; anterior, middle, or posterior severity of the NS deviation; location of the most projected point; and severity index.
The mean age at evaluation was 6.18 years. A total of 44 S- and 48 S+ patients were included. The NS was less prominent in the S+ than in the S- group (6.25% versus 25%, respectively). In the anterior part, the NS was normal in 79% (S+) and 1% (S-) of the patients. In the posterior region, the prominent deviation rate was approximately 7% in both groups. The greatest deviation point location was identical in both groups. The severity index was higher in the S- than in S+ group, except in the middle part of the NS.
Primary anterior septoplasty corrects only the anterior aspect of the NS in most children with cleft lip or cleft lip and palate. However, the posterior aspect of the NS remains deviated. A posterior deviation is likely to lead to nasal obstruction; therefore, regular monitoring is required throughout the growing period.
Therapeutic, III.