Long-term stability of limiting nasal alar base width changes with a cinch suture following Le Fort I osteotomy with submental intubation

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the nasal alar base cinch suture following Le Fort I osteotomy at long-term follow-up. One hundred and forty participants (89 female, 51 male) aged between 16 and 51 years underwent Le Fort I osteotomy with submental intubation. Anthropometric measurements of the nose were taken intraoperatively, immediately postoperative, and for up to 3 years postoperative: the maximum lateral convexity of the alae (Al-Al) and the lateral extremity of the alar base curvature at the alar groove (Ac-Ac). The use of a cinch suture was recorded. The results were analysed using a linear mixed-effects model analysis. One hundred and six participants had cinch sutures and 34 had no cinch sutures. Following Le Fort I osteotomy, there were significant increases in Ac-Ac (by 4.29mm) and Al-Al (by 3.70mm) (both P<0.0001). Cinch sutures significantly reduced the widths back to preoperative values (P<0.0001). Alar width remained stable over 3 years, with an increase of 0.36mm for Al-Al (P>0.05) and 1.03mm for Ac-Ac (P<0.05) compared to the postoperative measurement. In conclusion, a cinch suture was helpful in reducing the unwanted alar base width changes, which were found to be relatively stable at 3 years.