Rethinking the Rule of 10s: Early Cleft Lip Repair Improves Weight Gain.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares patients undergoing early cleft lip repair (ECLR) (<3-months) and traditional lip repair (TLR) (3-6 months) with/without nasoalveolar molding (NAM) to evaluate the effects of surgical timing on weight gain in hopes of guiding future treatment paradigms. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, California. PATIENT, PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective chart review evaluated patients who underwent ECLR or TLR ± NAM from November 2009 through January 2020. INTERVENTIONS: No intervention was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Patient demographics, birth and medical history, perioperative variables, and complications were collected. Infant weights and age-based percentiles were recorded at birth, surgery, 8-weeks, 6-months, 12-months, and 24-months postoperatively. The main outcomes were weight change and weight percentile amongst ECLR and TLR ± NAM groups. RESULTS: 107 patients met inclusion criteria: ECLR, n = 51 (47.6%); TLR + NAM, n = 35 (32.7%); and TLR-NAM, n = 21 (19.6%). ECLR patients had significantly greater changes in weight from surgery to 8-weeks and from surgery to 24-months postoperatively compared with both TLR ± NAM (P < .05). Age-matched weights in the ECLR group were significantly greater than TLR ± NAM at multiple time points postoperatively (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: ECLR significantly increased patient weights 24-months postoperatively when compared to TLR ± NAM. Specifically compared to TLR-NAM, ECLR weights were significantly greater at all time points past 6-months postoperatively. The results of this study demonstrate that ECLR can mitigate feeding difficulties and malnutrition traditionally seen in patients with cleft lip.

Passing The Scalpel: A Student Initiative in Identifying and Addressing Unmet Needs in Dental Education.

PURPOSE: Becoming an oral-maxillofacial surgeon is often challenging for young trainees. The purpose of this manuscript is to explore how a student-led group, which emphasizes networking, mentorship, and academic opportunities, may impact one's journey to becoming an oral-maxillofacial surgeon. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study where a 5-question Likert-type survey was administered to students who matriculated into residency and participated in a student-led group called Passing The Scalpel (PTS). This survey evaluated the value of PTS in providing exposure, career decision-making, networking/mentorship, and camaraderie. The results were analyzed, and statistical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: There was an 80.5% response rate (n = 29). Question 1 regarding first exposure to oral-maxillofacial surgery had a mean score of 2.55 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.35; χ2 = 15.39; P < .05). Question 2 regarding choosing oral-maxillofacial surgery as a career had a mean score of 3.66 (SD = 1.11; χ2 = 10.84; P < .05). Question 3 regarding offering mentorship and networking had a mean score of 4.14 (SD = 0.92; χ2 = 27.81; P < .05). Question 4 regarding increasing applicant camaraderie had a mean score of 4.21 (SD = 0.77; χ2 = 36.71; P < .05). Question 5 regarding the importance of PTS within a dental curriculum had a score of 4.48 (SD = 0.68; χ2 = 41.89; P < .05). CONCLUSION: PTS is an effective student-led initiative that emphasizes early exposure, networking, and mentorship opportunities and encourages students in choosing oral-maxillofacial surgery as a specialty. PTS demonstrates that student-led initiatives can fulfill unmet needs in the dental curriculum.