Children who are born with a cleft lip typically have some degree of deformity or asymmetry of the nose and may choose to undergo surgery as a teen or adult to achieve a more normal appearance. Nose surgery performed for this purpose is called a cleft rhinoplasty. During this procedure, the tissues of the nose are rearranged and repositioned to achieve an improved aesthetic result. Sometimes small pieces of cartilage are used to provide better support. Dr Tepper will carefully examine your nose and review your past surgeries to assess your needs. A very small incision between the nostrils is generally needed to perform the surgery. Revision of cleft lip repairs with unacceptable cosmetic outcomes can also be performed at the time of a cleft rhinoplasty.
Typically this procedure is performed in 2 to 4 hours in an outpatient setting.
