Patent ID: 8523896
Filing Date: 2013-09-03
Classification: A61B,A61C

Abstract:
1. A method of pre-surgically molding a cleft lip deformity in a patient comprising the steps of: providing a dynamic nasal molding device adapted for pre-surgical molding of cleft lip deformities in a patient, said device comprising: a frame assembly; a pair of rotation assemblies connected to said frame assembly defining a pair of separate, non-overlapping, parallel rotation axes; a pair of intra-nasal internal shaping members and a pair of extra-nasal external shaping members, one of said internal shaping members and one of said external shaping members connected to one of said rotation assemblies, and the other of said internal shaping members and the other of said external shaping members connected to the other of said rotation assemblies, whereby said internal shaping members and said external shaping members pivot along arced pathways; means for adjusting the frame assembly to adjust the separation distance between said rotation assemblies; means for locking said internal shaping members and said external shaping members at points along said arced pathway; wherein said internal shaping members are adapted to be positioned in the nostrils of the patient having a cleft lip deformity and said external shaping members are adapted to be positioned along the alar creases of the patient, such that the tissue of the patient is compressed between the internal shaping members and the external shaping members so as to retain the device on the patient; inserting said internal shaping members into the nostrils of said patient and positioning said external shaping members along the alar creases of said patient such that tissue of said patient is between said internal shaping members and said external shaping members; adjusting the means for adjusting the frame assembly to change the separation distance between said rotation assemblies and pivoting said internal shaping members and said external shaping members such that mild resistance is encountered; and incrementally adjusting the separation distance between said rotation assemblies to narrow the distance between said rotation assemblies and incrementally pivoting said internal shaping members and said external shaping members to mold the nasal anatomy of the patient into a desired morphology.