Li, L; Liao, L; Zhong, Y; Li, Y; Xiang, L; Li, W
OBJECTIVE: The Mohler technique is one of the most popular methods to repair unilateral cleft lip (UCL) among the modified Millard methods, but it is still imperfect. We successfully designed a modified Mohler method based on geometric principles and observed its clinical effect.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Photogrammetry was performed in 56 patients who underwent UCL repair with the new technique. The symmetry ratios were assessed for sn-cphi, cphi-sbal, ch-sbal, ch-cphi, and vh preoperatively and 1 week after surgery, and were also compared with values in healthy control individuals.
RESULTS: Preoperatively, all distances on the cleft side were shorter to different degrees. One week after surgery, results showed well-healed wounds with full, symmetric, and continuous vermilion. On the cleft side, the sn-cphi was 6.13% longer than the non-cleft, and the others were shorter (cphi-sbal: 5.904%; ch-sbal: 1.760%; ch-cphi: 6.234%). The symmetry ratios had differences of significance between preoperative values and those 1 week after surgery (p = 0.000, respectively). Moreover, the vermilion height on the cleft side was 1.026% thicker. When compared with the matched control group, with the exception of SRcphi-sbal (p = 0.072) and SRch-sbal (p = 0.139), there were significant differences (p = 0.000, respectively). All distances in the matched control group were not absolutely symmetric.
CONCLUSIONS: The modified Mohler technique seems widely applicable, marking accurate, and less flexible.