Q30: Congenital malformations of nose

Q30.2: Fissured, notched and cleft nose

We need the nose for breathing and smelling. The inside of the nose is coated with a smooth, moist membrane. This membrane is also called the mucous membrane. The outside of the nose is made of bone and cartilage. The nasal septum divides the nasal cavity into two halves.

While developing in the womb, many different types of tissue develop in the body. The organs and body parts develop out of the various types of tissue. If tissue fails to develop properly, defects can occur.

The face is another part of the body to develop in the womb before birth. Various parts for the lips, upper jaw, palate and nose develop first. These individual parts then merge. If this process is disrupted somewhere, the nose may become deformed. One such defect may be, for example, a cleft or dent in the nose. The nose may also develop crooked or irregularly. For example, a deformed nose may make it more difficult to breathe through the nose.