Case Report
An isolated congenital absence of nasal columella: A case report and review of literature

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijscr.2019.04.034Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • The absence of nasal columella has functional and esthetic consequences.

  • The etiology of isolated congenital absence of nasal columella is still unknown.

  • Reconstruction of absent columella is challenging due to its complex anatomy.

Abstract

Introduction

The nasal columella is an important aesthetic and functional entity of the midface. Congenital absence of the nasal columella as an isolated anomaly is extremely rare.

Presentation of case

We present a case of total congenital aplasia of the nasal columella in a 3-month-old female infant. The deformity was not associated with any other anomalies and with no obvious underlying cause.

Discussion

Isolated congenital absence of the nasal columella is an extremely rare anomaly and its etiology is still unknown. Surgical reconstruction of absent nasal columella is challenging as a result of its complex anatomy, and different surgical techniques have been described in the literature to reconstruct the nasal columella with varying advantages and disadvantages.

Conclusion

The variety in available surgical techniques for the reconstruction of nasal columella necessitates a thorough preoperative evaluation in order to choose the most suitable surgical technique and achieve the best outcome, both functionally and esthetically.

Keywords

Congenital
Absence
columella

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