Nasal Airway Dimensions of Children With Repaired Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

Objective: To measure cross-sectional areas of the main nasal constrictions as a function of the distance into the nose in children with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate, as compared with children without cleft, by acoustic rhinometry. Design: Prospective analysis. Setting: Craniofacial anomalies hospital. Participants: A total of 39 children with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate and 34 healthy controls without cleft, of both genders, aged 6 to 9 years. Interventions/Variables: Nasal cross-sectional areas measured at the three main deflections of the rhinogram (CSA1, CSA2, CSA3) and distances from the nares (dCSA1, dCSA2, dCSA3) were assessed by means of an Eccovision Acoustic Rhinometer, before and after nasal decongestion. Differences were analyzed at a significance level of 5%. Results: At the cleft side, mean CSA1, CSA2, and CSA3 values 6 standard deviation obtained before nasal decongestion were 0.17 +/- 0.12, 0.29 +/- 0.20, and 0.40 +/- 0.28 cm(2), respectively, and dCSA1, dCSA2, and dCSA3 values +/- standard deviation were 2.02 +/- 0.40, 3.74 +/- 0.51, and 5.50 +/- 0.44 cm, respectively. At the noncleft side, these were 0.33 +/- 0.11, 0.65 +/- 0.28, and 0.90 +/- 0.43 cm 2, respectively, and 1.69 +/- 0.48, 3.67 +/- 0.53, and 5.60 +/- 0.70 cm, respectively. Increased cross-sectional area means were seen after nasal decongestion in the control and cleft groups. Mean cross-sectional area values at the cleft side were significantly smaller than noncleft side and control values, and the mean dCSA1 value was smaller at the noncleft side before and after decongestion. Conclusions: Objective assessment of internal nasal dimensions has shown that children with unilateral cleft lip and palate have a significant impairment of nasal patency due to the reduced cross-sectional areas seen at the cleft side.