Butow, Kurt-Wilhelm2008-01-172008-01-172007-09Butow, KW 2007, ‘Construction of the congenitally missing columella in midline clefts’, Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, vol. 35, no. 6-7, pp. 287-292. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10105182]1010-518210.1016/j.jcms.2007.05.003http://hdl.handle.net/2263/4243BACKGROUND: Repair of the rare median cleft lip occurring with agenesis of the columella is a challenge as there is a major deficiency of skin and underlying structures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Over a 23- year period, five children underwent construction of a columella. A new surgical technique was designed for this: an internal dorsal nasal flap was used to create a cutaneous-cartilaginous flap inside the nasal dome, and was then sutured inferiorly against a superior triangle of the repaired median cleft lip. RESULTS:Projective nasal growth could be seen in three of the five surgically constructed columellae in whom the medium-term results could be evaluated. CONCLUSION:Five holoprosencephaly cases, all with a median cleft lip and agenesis of the columella, underwent a median cleft lip repair and the creation of a columella by means of an internal nasal dorsal skin flap procedure.502811 bytesapplication/pdfenElsevierColumella agenesisAbsent columellaInternal nasal dorsal flapMedian cleftNasal growthHoloprosencephalyCleft palate -- SurgerySurgery, PlasticNose -- SurgerySurgery, OperativePostprint Article