Comparison of millard technique and tennis randal technique used in unilateral split lip repair in post-operative period

Introduction: Lips are one of the most important structures of the face and play aesthetic and functional roles. Restoration of the lips is important in trauma, malignancy and congenital anomalies because they are an aesthetic subunit as well as functional tasks such as mimic movements, nutrition and speech. The treatment goals of cleft lip defects are early correction of the cleft and primary restoration of a tension-free, mobile and balanced lip. Although many techniques and modifications have been used in the surgery of cleft lip, the search for the most effective method with the least scarring is still ongoing. The main reason for this situation is that each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages. Over time, Tennison-Randall and Millard rotation-advancement procedures have come to the fore as the two most commonly used methods. In our study, we compared the results of two surgical techniques in terms of aesthetics and function in the post-operative period of these patients who are frequently operated by our clinic. we aimed to find the appropriate technique between the two. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 patients with similar age and gender characteristics who were operated between 01.01.2023-01.04.2024 in our Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery clinic (20 patients Group 1: operated with Millard technique) and (20 patients Group 2: operated with Tennsion Randall technique) at least 1 month after surgery were included in our study. The results of the measurements were recorded in millimetres with the help of Vernier Caliper during the follow-up of the patients. The measurements were then compared between the surgical and non-surgical parameters, thus the target tissue symmetry was compared. P<0.05 was accepted as the limit of statistical significance. Results: In our study, it was shown that the Tennison-Randall technique repaired the distal part of the lip filtrum and Cupid's bow more effectively during surgery on the lower 1/3 of the cleft lip. It was concluded that the Millard technique and its modifications are superior in the nasal region and reconstruction due to its more effective surgical access to the musculus orbicularis oris and nasal floor. Conclusion: Cleft lip surgery should be based on evidence of the best functional and aesthetic results. The findings of this study support the view that both cleft lip repair methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is obvious that this surgical discipline, which has a history of thousands of years, needs experimental and clinical studies in the light of science and technology. Keywords: Cleft lip surgery, Nasal floor reconstruction, Millard, Tennison-Randall, Vernier Caliper