UC Davis

The unilateral cleft lip repair is one of the most rewarding and challenging of plastic surgery procedures. Surgeons have introduced a variety of straight line, geometric, and rotation-advancement designs, while in practice the majority of North American surgeons have been using hybrids of the rotation-advancement techniques. The anatomic subunit approach was introduced in 2005 by Fisher and has gained popularity, with early adopters of the design touting its simplicity and effectiveness. The objectives of this article are to summarize the basic tenets of respecting the philtral subunit, accurate measurement and planning, and tips for transitioning to this subunit approach.