Cleft ala nasi

What it means

The presence of a notch in the margin of the ala nasi.

The alae nasi are the lateral portions of the nose or the wings of the nostrils, which partly encircle the nostrils (nares). They are usually about the width of the columella, but vary greatly depending on the shape of the nostril. Note that individuals may be described as having a cleft ala nasi, but have a severely Underdeveloped ala nasi. In an underdeveloped ala the continuity of the tissue encircling the nostril is undisturbed while in a cleft it is disrupted. The term coloboma has been replaced because a coloboma is a remnant of a physiologically occurring discontinuity of tissue; the alae nasi do not have such a discontinuity.

Rare diseases that can present with this5

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Ala nasi, cleft · Alar clefts · Cleft nasal alae · Nostril coloboma · Notched nasal alae