Cleft nasal deformity and rhinoplasty.

The cleft nasal deformity is a complex challenge in plastic surgery involving the skin, cartilage, mucosa, and skeletal platform. Ever since Blair and Brown first described the intricacies of the cleft pathology in 1931, the appropriate approach has been extensively debated in the literature with respect to timing, technique, and extent of surgical intervention. In this article, the authors review the literature and summarize the various modalities for achieving a successful rhinoplasty in the patient with a cleft nasal deformity.