Harelip-Nose Revision

Abstract

The surgical management of the harelip nose cannot be discussed without passing mention of the associated lip defect. On the basis of our experience we are convinced that the degree of the deformity in the adult harelip nose is due more to the primary surgery than to the embryologic fault. It is a sad reflection for a surgeon to feel that he might have made the lot of these unfortunates more bearable had he resisted the importunity of the parents and his own temptation to produce in the harelip infant a spectacular result. The surgical consensus is expressed by LeMesurier¹: "The operation is done almost entirely for the sake of appearance and should be done with the object of making both the lip and nose as nearly normal in appearance as possible at the one operation." We wonder whether one who operates with the above objective would not alter