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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Plast Surg 2021; 54(03): 334-337
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1734571
Original Article

A Normative Observational Study of the Relationship of the Philtral Ridges to the Columellar Base in South-Indian Population and its Significance on Cleft Lip Repair

Deyonna Deepthi Fernandes
1   The Department of Plastic Surgery, The Cleft and Craniofacial Center, Sri Ramachandra University Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Syed Altaf Hussain 
1   The Department of Plastic Surgery, The Cleft and Craniofacial Center, Sri Ramachandra University Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
› Author Affiliations Financial disclosures None.
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Abstract

Introduction The philtral ridges form a prominent visual landmark in the upper lip. An aesthetically pleasing cleft lip repair should restore this preferably without any scars cutting across it. Although there are several scientific publications on morphology of this structure and its variations, very few studies on the Indian population have been published.

Aim To study the morphology of the philtral ridges and their relationship to the columellar base in normal Indian children and its significance in cleft lip repair.

Methods 115 normal healthy children from southern India aged between one and 12 years were studied based on direct observation of the relationship of the superior end of the philtral ridge to the columellar base and nasal sill. In type A, the philtral ridge terminates at the nasal sill just lateral to the columellar base, and in type B, it either reaches or fades before reaching the columellar base. All observations were performed by the first author by examining standardized two-dimensional (2D) photographs of the upper lip-nose complex.

Results In this study, 74% of the subjects had the philtral column extending lateral to the columellar base.

Conclusion These finding assume a significance since, in a substantial proportion of the studied population, techniques of cleft lip repair such as the rotation advancement method, place a scar that crosses the upper third of the philtral ridge which may be undesirable.

Keywords

Philtrum - Philtral ridge - Cleft Lip - Scar - Morphology


Publication History

Article published online:
16 September 2021

© 2021. Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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