Assessment of a Technique of Cleft Lip Closure.

Abstract

Summary: The rotation advancement technique of closure of cleft upper lip was assessed by comparing values obtained pre and postoperatively from eleven cleft lip patients with those in age-matched children with normal lips. Intercommissural distance (CID) was significantly greater in patients with unilateral cleft lip than in normal children. This distance, though reduced at six months after surgery, was not totally corrected by the technique of closure. The average height of the lip was insignificantly smaller in cleft lip patients preoperatively than that in children of the same age group with normal lips (9.7+2.0mm compared with 10.45 2.3mm;p> 0.1). Postoperatively however, it was found to be slightly higher (11.3 + 1.3mm in those with cleft lip compared with 10.4 + 2.3mm in normals), the difference being similarly insignificant (p>0.1). The coefficient of upper lip curvature, higher in cleft lip patients than in normals, was reduced postoperatively to significantly lower values also when compared to normals. The rotation advancement technique achieves cleft lip closure though not perfectly. Evaluation of the correction of lip and nose anomalies based on measurements is recommended.

Keywords

• cleft lip
• intercommissural distance
• lip measurements
• cheilon
• subnasale
• vermilion