RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The Abbe flap is a common technique frequently utilized in secondary surgery for bilateral cleft lip deformities, but objective indications for the Abbe flap remain unclear, and postoperative aesthetic evaluations are limited. METHODS: The study group consisted of 92 bilateral cleft lip patients with secondary deformities aged 7-39 years, and the control group consisted of 33 people aged 19-35 years. Thirteen objective nasolabial aesthetic parameters were selected to evaluate patients' nasolabial aesthetics. RESULTS: Minor secondary deformities were characterized by a smaller lip height index than severe deformities, as well as a smaller columellar angle compared with moderate and severe deformities (P < 0.05). For all patients, significant differences were found between preoperative and postoperative values of intercanthal distance/medial upper vermilion height ratio, intercanthal distance/medial upper lip height ratio, lip height index, lip vermilion height index, lip protrusion angle, columellar-labial angle, and nasal tip angle (P < 0.05). For patients with minor deformity, intercanthal distance/philtrum width ratio and intercanthal distance/medial cutaneous upper lip height ratio showed no significant change postoperatively (P > 0.05), and labial protrusion angle was smaller than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing secondary surgery using an Abbe flap achieved good nasolabial aesthetics. Intercanthal distance/medial upper vermilion height ratio, intercanthal distance/medial upper lip height ratio, lip height index, columellar-labial angle, nasolabial angle, nasal tip angle, and columellar angle are the objective aesthetic indicators for Abbe flap selection. Intercanthal distance/philtrum width ratio, intercanthal distance/medial cutaneous upper lip height ratio, and labial protrusion angle are reference parameters for choosing an Abbe flap for secondary bilateral cleft lip revision.