Dental Arches and Occlusion in Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients after Two Different Routines for Palatal Surgery

Background: Delayed hard palate repair (DHPR) is believed by many researchers to improve maxillary growth and facial appearance in patients born with cleft lip and palate. However, only few studies dealing with the midfacial growth outcome after this type of surgery in bilateral cleft patients have been published. Patients and Method: The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare long-term results of maxillary morphology, dental arches and occlusion in two groups of patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate. The palatal surgery differed between the two groups, particularly with respect to the timing of hard palate repair. The DHPR group (n=16) underwent soft palate closure at 12 months and hard palate repair at around 8 years, whereas the early palatal repair group (EPR) (n=12) had completed two-stage palatal closure during the first year of life. These latter subjects had undergone more traditional palatal surgery with vomer flaps for repair of the anterior part and push-back closure for the posterior part of the cleft. Surgery was performed in both groups by the same surgical team at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. Dental casts were used to analyze the pre- and postoperative maxillary morphology, dental arch dimensions, and occlusion of both samples, which were followed longitudinally from infancy to early adulthood. Results: Differences recorded in both maxillary growth and occlusion were generally in favor of the DHPR group. However, major intragroup variations and relatively small sample sizes precluded statistical verification of the differences, except for development during the early stages.     

One- or two-stage palate closure in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate: comparing cephalometric and occlusal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess facial growth and dentoalveolar development in two groups of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate. Primary surgical treatment differed in the timing of hard palate closure. DESIGN: Forty-three patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate were examined. Twenty-two patients underwent early one-stage closure of the hard and soft palate cleft (mean age 23.0 +/- 4.7 months); in 21 patients, the hard palate closure was delayed to 86.3 +/- 39.2 months of age. Lateral cephalograms and dental casts were consecutively analyzed at four stages between 6 and 18 years of age. RESULTS: Lateral cephalometric analysis revealed no significant intergroup differences in the sagittal and vertical craniofacial dimensions at any time. Dental cast analysis showed constriction of the upper anterior arch width at the ages of 6 and 10 years in patients with one-stage surgical palate closure, but a difference could no longer be verified at the ages of 15 and 18 years. CONCLUSIONS: The transverse distances in the upper jaw developed initially more positively in the group with delayed hard palate closure, but it became apparent later that the transverse deficiency after one-stage palate closure could be compensated for. When considering surgical treatment in general, the advantages of the delayed hard palate closure must be weighed against criteria favoring the early one-stage closure of the hard and soft palate.     

Results of randomized controlled trial of soft palate first versus hard palate first repair in unilateral complete cleft lip and palate.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes for primary repair of unilateral cleft lip and palate, operating on the soft palate first versus the hard palate first. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The Regional Cleft Service of West Nepal. PATIENTS: Forty-seven consecutive patients with nonsyndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate, of whom 37 were assessed 4 to 6 years after completing primary surgical repair. INTERVENTIONS: Primary repair of unilateral cleft lip and palate by two differing sequences: (1) soft palate repair, with hard palate and lip repair 3 months later; and (2) lip and hard palate repair, followed by the soft palate repair 3 months later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analysis of dental study models, weight gain, and speech recordings. RESULTS: Four to 7 years after completing the cleft closure, there was no significant difference in facial growth between the two types of repair sequencing. Completing posterior repair first had no effect on anterior alveolar gap width. It narrowed the hard palate gap by reducing the intercanine distance. Anterior repair dramatically closed the anterior alveolar gap, and narrowed the intercanine distance. Comparing anterior alveolar gap width with age at first presentation demonstrated that there was no spontaneous narrowing of the cleft in older children. Completing posterior closure first had a weight gain advantage over anterior closure first. Improved oropharyngeal closure, and thus swallowing, is the likely explanation. CONCLUSION: Changing the sequencing of cleft closure has no demonstrable difference in facial growth at 4 to 7 years after completion of the primary surgery.     

A comparative study of prespeech vocalizations in two groups of toddlers with cleft palate and a noncleft group.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prelinguistic contoid (consonant-like) inventories of 14 children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (C-UCLP) at 13 months of age. The children had received primary veloplasty at 7 months of age and closure of the hard palate was performed at 3-5 years. The results of this investigation were compared to results previously reported for 19 children with cleft palate and 19 noncleft children at the age of 13 months. The children with clefts in that study received a two-stage palatal surgery. This surgical procedure was formerly used at our center and included closure of the lip and hard palate at 3 months of age and soft palate closure at 22 months of age. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: The participants were videorecorded in their homes during play with their mothers. The videotapes were transcribed independently by three trained speech pathologists. PATIENTS: Fourteen consecutive patients born with C-UCLP and no known mental retardation or associated syndromes served as subjects. RESULTS: The children who received delayed closure of the hard palate demonstrated a significantly richer variety of contoids in their prespeech vocalizations than the cleft children in the comparison group. Both groups of subjects with clefts had significantly fewer plosives in their contoid inventory than the noncleft group, and there was no difference regarding place of articulation between the group that received delayed closure of the hard palate and the noncleft group.     

Sagittal growth of the facial skeleton of 6-year-old children with a complete unilateral cleft of lip, alveolus and palate treated with two different protocols

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to compare sagittal growth of the facial skeleton of 6-year-old children treated in two cleft centres with different surgical protocols. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Each group consisted of 20 consecutive non-syndromic children with complete unilateral cleft lip, alveolus and palate. They all had presurgical orthopaedics with a passive plate and external strapping until lip repair. Centre 1 had lip repair at the age of 3 months and one stage palatal closure at the age of 1 year. Closure of the alveolar cleft was planned at 9 years with bone grafting. In centre 2 lip repair was performed at the age of 6 months, soft palate repair at 12 months and hard palate repair together with mucoperiosteal closure of the alveolar cleft at the age of 30 months. At the time of investigation, the children from both centres had not received any postoperative orthodontic treatment. Sagittal growth was evaluated on lateral cephalograms using the angles SNA, SNB, ANB and SNPg. For control, Droschl standards were used. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in SNA, SNB, ANB and SNPg between the centres at the age of 6 years. There were no children with a class III jaw relationship. The sagittal dimensions were close to the values of non-cleft control persons (Droschl standards). CONCLUSION: There was considerable similar sagittal growth of the facial skeleton in both centres which has not been affected by the different surgical protocols so far. A final evaluation should be delayed until the growth of the facial skeleton is complete.     

单侧完全性唇腭裂患儿唇裂修复同期硬腭裂隙封闭的临床观察

目的　探讨单侧完全性唇腭裂患儿时唇裂修复同期硬腭裂隙封闭的可行性及临床效果。方法　47例年龄为3·0~7·5月龄的单侧唇腭裂患儿在唇裂修复同期行硬腭裂隙封闭,分析手术时间、术中出血、术后恢复、创口愈合及腭部裂隙变化情况。结果　所有患儿的手术均顺利完成。手术时间与单纯唇裂修复术相比平均延长13 min , 术中出血平均增加5 ml,术后恢复好,无创口感染及裂开。至患儿9~18月龄二期手术时腭部裂隙比行单纯唇裂修复术平均小0·28 cm,使二期手术时软腭后退充分,腭咽闭合良好。结论　单侧完全性唇腭裂患儿唇裂修复同期行硬腭裂隙封闭是安全和可行的。     

Dentocraniofacial morphology of 21 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate: a cephalometric study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the skeletal and dental craniofacial proportions of unilateral cleft lip and palate patients who were operated upon using the Malek technique, and compare them with a normal group to highlight the effect of surgical correction on craniofacial development during growth. DESIGN: Retrospective. METHODS: The cleft palate was closed using the Malek technique in a single operation at 3 months for 11 patients (complete closure of lip and palate) and in a two-stage operation for 10 patients (soft palate at 3 months, lip and hard palate at 6 months). Comparisons were made with a normal control group. Angular and linear measurements of anterior and posterior dimensions of the upper and lower compartments of the face were measured in the 7th and 12th years. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: No significant differences were observed between the two groups of palate technique repair, although significant differences were observed between craniofacial dimensions of normal versus cleft lip and palate patients. At a skeletal level, the maxilla and mandible were retrusive relative to the cranial base in the cleft lip and palate group. In fact, there was a backward rotation of the palatal plane with repercussions on the maxillo-mandibular complex position. Furthermore, the maxilla was shorter than in normal patients, whereas the mandible was normally shaped. The upper incisors were retroclined and they locked the lower incisors in linguoversion. There was a posterior skeletal deficit of the respiratory compartment, compensated by more marked posterior maxillary alveolar growth. Facial growth in cleft lip and palate patients followed the same pattern, but was delayed compared with normal patients.     

The Furlow Z-plasty in two-staged palatal repair modifications and complications

OBJECTIVES: To report the modifications and complications of the Furlow palatoplasty for two-stage closure of the palate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective study of a consecutive series of 45 primary closures of the soft palate portion of clefts extending into the hard palate; mean (S.D.) age at repair 12 (2) months; median follow-up 4 years 4 months (range 2 months to 9 years). The hard palatal part of the cleft was closed in 18 patients at the mean age of 3 years 11 months. RESULTS: The main modifications that we made were the use of quilting sutures, lateral V-Y closures, and fibrin glue application, and the omission of lateral releasing incisions. Patients stayed in hospital for a median of 4 days (range 3-8 days). Two patients had postoperative partial obstruction of the airway and were given steroids. In six patients, a smaller portion of the oral layer of the wound broke down; it healed by secondary intention in five, but resulted in partial dehiscence in one. There were no oronasal fistulas in the 18 patients who had delayed closure of the hard palate part of the cleft. Secondary pharyngoplasty was not necessary in any patient. CONCLUSION: Furlow's technique has been modified for use in the two-stage closure of complete cleft palates (with or without cleft lip or alveolus) with an acceptable rate of complications.     

Maxillary growth controversies after two-stage palatal repair with delayed hard palate closure in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients: perspectives from literature and personal experience.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze published papers dealing with delayed hard palate repair within a two-stage palatal surgery protocol in treatment of cleft lip and palate. Timing of the procedures, methods used, as well as growth results were considered. METHOD: By utilizing this information in relation to knowledge about normal maxillary development, efforts were made to explain differences in growth outcome between different investigations. Particularly, follow-up reports of unilateral cleft lip and palate patients with records up to at least 10 years of age were studied. RESULTS: Most papers reported an excellent or very good maxillary growth outcome after their delayed hard palate closure protocols. Where unsatisfactory results were published, reasonable explanations were found accounting for why the method had failed the expectation of good maxillary growth. CONCLUSION: Based on the published reports and the experience from a cleft team where the studied protocol has been practiced since 1975, recommendation for method as well as timing for the two-stage protocol is laid out in some detail.     

Development of the residual cleft in the hard palate after velar repair in a 2-stage palatal repair regimen

Delayed closure of the hard palate is believed to improve maxillary growth and facial appearance in cleft lip and palate patients. However, the cleft opening in the hard palate after velar closure might impair speech development. The aim of this investigation was to study the development of the residual cleft in the hard palate after 2-stage palatal repair (TSPR) in children born with complete cleft lip and palate (bilateral [BCLP]; n=7 or unilateral [UCLP]; n=22) or isolated cleft palate (CP; n=9). Moreover, we aimed to investigate whether any morphologic factors before surgery might predict development of the residual cleft. Dental casts obtained prior to velar repair (mean age 7 months) and postoperatively at 1 1/2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 years were analyzed with a Reflex Microscope regarding the width, length and area of the cleft in the hard palate.The palatal cleft varied in size both pre- and postoperatively in all 3 types of cleft patients. The width of the cleft in the UCLP subgroup showed a marked reduction immediately after velar repair, but then, on average, remained stable until final surgical closure of the hard palate. In the BCLP subgroup the initially rather narrow width of the clefts remained unchanged postoperatively. Clefts in the CP subgroup, especially in those with a complete cleft, remained large after veloplasty. In 4 of the UCLP and 2 of the BCLP patients, the cleft width increased gradually. In some other subjects, both in the UCLP and BCLP subgroups, the residual cleft closed functionally with time, but this development could not be foreseen.     

Craniofacial morphological outcome following treatment with three different surgical protocols for complete unilateral cleft lip and palate: a premilinary study

This study compared craniofacial morphology between three groups of children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate, treated with different surgical protocols. The study included 66 10-year-old children (42 boys and 20 girls) with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (22 patients in each of the three groups). Children aged 7 months underwent one-stage surgery, performed by a single surgeon. During surgery, the soft and hard palate and the lip underwent correction. The difference between the groups depended on the hard palate closure. Group I patients had the mucoperiosteal flap elevated on both sides of the cleft. Group II patients had the mucoperiosteal flap elevated on the non-cleft side, and had only a minimal 2–3 mm mucoperiosteal flap elevated on the cleft side. Group III patients had mucoperiostium elevated from the septum vomer to create a single-layered caudally pedicled flap, and had only a minimal 2–3 mm palatal flap elevated on the cleft side. Craniofacial morphology was defined using lateral cephalometric analysis. Significant craniofacial morphological differences were identified between groups I, II and III. Group III demonstrated the most favourable morphology. This indicates that the technique of hard palate closure has significant influence on craniofacial growth and development.     

改良腭黏膜瓣整复软腭裂的临床观察

目的:探讨整复软腭裂的新术式,重建腭咽闭合的效果。方法:采用腭黏膜瓣后推术对25例软腭裂患者进行整复治疗,并对其进行随访,以了解术后腭咽闭合的情况。结果:所有患者术后腭部创口愈合良好,瘢痕不明显,软腭的活动度良好,且均有良好的腭咽闭合功能。结论:对先天性软腭裂的患者实施该术式整复,能较好地恢复腭咽闭合功能,是较为理想的手术整复方法之一。     

One-stage closure of uni- and bilateral cleft lip and palate

A preliminary report of an ‘all-in-one’ one-staged closure of all forms of cleft lip and palate during the first year of life. The one-stage repair of complete uni- and bilateral clefts includes the anatomical reconstruction of soft palate, hard palate closure in two layers, alveoloplasty with bone grafting and lip repair. This surgical technique is described and early results presented.     

Incidence of palatal fistula after palatoplasty with levator veli palatini retropositioning according to Sommerlad

The purpose of this study was to find out the incidence of palatal fistula and study the factors that influence its development after palatoplasty with repositioning of the levator veli palatini. We retrospectively reviewed 176 consecutive repairs of cleft palates during a 2-year period (2004–2006). The age of the patients at the time of repair ranged from 12 to 30 months (mode 17 months). All the palatoplasties were done either by a senior surgeon or a resident surgeon. The chi square test was used to assess whether the development of postoperative fistulas was influenced by sex, extent of cleft (as estimated by the Veau classification), age at repair, and operating surgeon. There were 12 palatal fistulas (7%), 8 of which were at the junction of the hard and soft palate, 3 in the hard palate, and 1 in the soft palate. There was no evidence to suggest that sex or age were associated with their development. Patients whose clefts had been treated by the senior surgeon had fewer fistulas (2/82, 2%) than those by the resident surgeon (10/94, 11%) (p = 0.04). The incidences of palatal fistulas in patients with clefts of the hard and soft cleft palate (7/44, 21%), and bilateral cleft lip or palate (2/21,10%), were significantly higher than those in patients with cleft soft palate (1/37, 3%), and unilateral cleft lip or palate (2/74, 3%) (p = 0.03). Our results show that palatal fistula after repair is related mainly to the extent of the cleft and the experience of the operating surgeon.     

The buccal flap--a useful technique in cleft palate repair?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate speech quality and oronasal fistula after primary palate repair using a buccal mucosal flap. DESIGN: Retrospective study cohort of patients with cleft palate. SETTING: Primary care center for treatment of craniofacial congenital anomalies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred fifty-six nonsyndromic patients underwent palatoplasty with the buccal myomucosal flap by the senior surgeon between 1989 and 2002. The preoperative workup, surgical technique, and other factors that might affect the outcome were identical in every case. Oronasal fistula and variables affecting speech quality were analyzed. RESULTS: The most common type of cleft was unilateral cleft lip and palate (43.5%). The median follow-up was 5.8 years (0.4 to 21 years), and the median age at repair was 6.2 months. The overall fistula formation was 3.6%, decreasing progressively: 1989 to 1994: 2.9%, 1995 to 2002: 0.7% (p <.05). Velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI) occurred in 8.8% of the patients, decreasing from 5.3% to 3.5% in the last years. VPI and oronasal fistulae were observed mainly in unilateral and bilateral clefts of the lip and palate. Velopharyngeal adequacy occurred in 91.1% of the children, and resonance was normal in 91.1 %. None of the patients had severe hypernasality or hyponasality. Articulation was normal in 97.9% of the children. Speech quality was good in 89% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The technique presented has been effective, with the advantages of palatal closure without tension, good muscular reconstruction, lengthening of the nasal layer, and palatal closure without raw areas. The technique, early repair, and surgeon's skills were the most important variables for good outcomes regarding speech and fistula formation.     

唇裂修复术对唇腭裂患者上颌骨生长发育的影响

目的:探讨唇裂修复术在单侧完全性唇腭裂患者上颌骨生长受限中的作用。方法:52例唇裂修复术后的单侧完全性唇腭裂恒牙列期患者,依是否已行腭裂修复分成两个实验组,通过头颅侧位头影测量片研究两组患者上颌骨生长变化规律,并与正常对照组比较。结果:唇腭裂均修复组与仅唇裂修复组具有基本相似的上颌骨生长抑制。结论:唇裂修复术是影响单侧完全性唇腭裂患者上颌骨生长受抑的重要因素。     

Influence of early hard palate closure in unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate on maxillary transverse growth during the first four years of age.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the effects of early primary closure of the hard palate on the anterior and posterior width of the maxillary arch in children with bilateral (BCLP) and unilateral (UCLP) cleft lip and palate during the first 4 years of life. DESIGN: A retrospective, mixed-longitudinal study. SETTING: Cleft Palate Center of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The present investigation analyzes longitudinally 42 children with UCLP and 8 children with BCLP between 1996 and 2000 with early simultaneous primary closure of lip and hard palate (4 to 5 months). Palatal arch width was measured on dental casts with a computer-controlled three-dimensional digitizing system, and their growth velocities were calculated from consecutive periods (mean follow-up 39 months). Differences in growth velocities were compared with those of 25 children with UCLP and 15 children with BCLP with delayed closure of hard palate (12 to 14 months). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in terms of anterior and posterior maxillary width between early and delayed closure of hard palate within the first 4 years of life.     

口腔组织补片在宽裂隙腭裂修复中的应用

目的：探讨口腔组织补片（脱细胞异体真皮基质）在宽裂隙腭裂修复中的应用价值。方法：选择20例宽裂隙先天性腭裂患者，术中采用口腔组织补片覆盖软、硬腭交界处创面和硬腭前部及双侧裸露的创面，对术后并发症、创面黏膜化情况、软腭运动度及腭咽闭合情况进行观察。结果：20例患者的口腔组织补片完全成活，无并发症出现。术后随诊3个月～1a，创面完全黏膜化，无明显瘢痕挛缩，腭咽闭合良好，软腭运动度好。结论：口腔组织补片用于腭裂修复，手术操作简单可行，临床效果肯定。     

A preliminary study of facial growth and morphology in unoperated male unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects over 13 years of age

This paper investigates the effects of surgery on facial growth and morphology in Sri Lankan males with unilateral cleft lip and palate who were over 13 years of age at the time of study with cephalometry and dental study models. Three separate subgroups were analyzed: those who had totally unrepaired cleft lip and palate, those who received lip repair in infancy but not palatal repair, and those who had lip and palate repair in infancy. Twenty-three healthy noncleft Sri Lankan males over 13 years formed a control group from the same racial background. The results show that subjects who had no surgery had a potential for normal maxillary growth. Subjects who have had lip repair in early infancy show relatively normal maxillary growth, but maxillary hypoplasia is common when the palate has also been repaired early.     

Comprehensive management of cleft lip and palate deformities.

PURPOSE: The controversy regarding the timing of repair of the deformities associated with cleft lip and palate still exists. The goal of this article is to present a versatile, universal philosophy of management of these deformities involving early repair. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Over 20 years, 2,698 new patients with cleft lip and palate deformities were treated. These included 1,298 unilateral and 320 bilateral cleft lip and palate patients. The remaining patients (1,018) had isolated palatal clefts. All patients were operated according to the same protocol and the same surgical procedure. The treatment philosophy was based on early, wide myoperiosteal-periosteo-sutural reconstruction by a modified Delaire functional cheilorhinoplasty and alveolar gingivoperiosteoplasty at 3 months, followed by soft and hard functional palatoplasty at 9 months. RESULTS: All patients were followed longitudinally and retrospectively. The parameters investigated were facial symmetry, presence or absence of growth retardation, and oropharyngeal and nasal function. The parameters studied indicated that when this treatment schedule was followed and the procedures were performed on time and according to the protocol, there was minimal growth retardation of the maxilla. When early gingivoperiosteoplasty was performed in 25% of the patients there was a sufficient amount of alveolar bone for eruption of the primary and permanent dentition. This negated the need for secondary alveolar bone grafting. The development of the upper lip was harmonious, and usually no further corrective procedures were necessary. The nose was usually well developed and functionally normal. CONCLUSION: Optimal rehabilitation of the patients was achieved by following the principles and treatment strategies described. If the treatment principles are not incorporated in the functional repair (ie, joining of the primary and the secondary growth centers during corrective procedures), compromised results are to be expected.