Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dentistry (Jul 2021)
Cleft Lip/Nasal Deformities After Plastic Surgery for Unilateral Cleft Lip/Palate: A Prospective Study at a Large Hospital in Vietnam
Abstract
Hong Loi Nguyen,1 Van Minh Nguyen,2 Xuan Phu Tran1 1Odonto-Stomatology Center, Hue Central Hospital, Hue City, Vietnam; 2Faculty of Odonto-Stomatology, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue City, VietnamCorrespondence: Hong Loi NguyenOdonto-Stomatology Center, Hue Central Hospital, 16 Le Loi street, Hue City, 530000, VietnamTel +84913498549Email [email protected]: Congenital cleft lip, with or without cleft palate, is the most common deformity of the face. Primary plastic surgery for rehabilitation and esthetics is important for patients and their parents; however, secondary deformities of the lip and nose can occur after the primary surgery. Therefore, we performed assessment of secondary cleft lip/nasal deformities to aid in planning of surgical repair of these deformities.Materials and Methods: Forty-six patients with unilateral cleft lip, with or without cleft palate, were operated with different techniques and examined post-surgery at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital and Center of Odonto-Stomatology, Hue Central Hospital. They were assessed according to Motier’s post-operative evaluation scale (1997), including the red lip, white lip, scars, and nose.Results: V notch and defect on the shift line were the most common deformities on the red lip (52.2%). About 34.8% of the patients had a short white lip on the cleft side. Straight and prominent scars were observed in 52.2% of the patients. The most common deformities of the nose were septal deviation (78.3%), followed by defects in the upper part of the nostril contour (78.3%), narrow sill (52.2%), and low position of the ala (47.8%).Conclusion: Secondary cleft lip/nasal deformities are unavoidable. It is necessary to develop a plan for surgical repair of these deformities. There is no single method of cleft lip surgery that gives perfect results. Therefore, clinicians choose a combination of methods to bring optimal results for each patient.Keywords: unilateral, cleft lip/palate, secondary deformities
