Determination of safety margin of nasal septum osteotomy for sphenoid sinus in cleft lip and palate patients.

BACKGROUND: Nasal septum osteotomy is used for separating the nasal septum and maxilla during a Le Fort I osteotomy. If this osteotomy is applied too high or is tilted into the nasal cavity, the sphenoid sinus and various adjacent vital structures may be damaged, and serious bleeding, neurological complications, blindness or even death may occur. The aim of this study is to determine the safety margin of the nasal septum osteotomy for sphenoid sinus during the Le Fort I surgery in cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients. METHODS: Twenty cleft lip and palate (the CLP group) and 20 healthy individuals (the control group) were included in this study. Three values (two lines and an angle) were measured by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The first line is the line passing through the junction of the spina nasalis anterior point and the lower point of the perpendicular lamina of the palatine bone. The undersired line is the line passing through the junction of the spina nasalis anterior point and the lower anterior border of the base of the sphenoid sinus. The osteotomy angle is the angle between these two lines. RESULTS: In the control group; a surgical line of 44.11-61.14 mm (mean 51.91 ± 4.32), an undesired line of 52.48-69.58 mm (mean 59.14 ± 5.08) and an angle of 18.22-27.270 (mean 22.66 ± 2.55) were found, while in the CLP group, a surgical line of 34.53-51.16 mm (mean 43.38 ± 4.79), an undesired line of 46.86-61.35 mm (mean 55.02 ± 3.24) and an angle of 17.60-28.810 (mean 22.60 ± 2.81) were found. CONCLUSIONS: Although the angle to the sphenoid sinus was not significantly affected by CLP, careful planning and consideration of these anatomical differences are crucial to prevent complications and ensure the safety of Le Fort I surgery in CLP patients. Further research with larger sample sizes and subgroup analysis of unilateral and bilateral CLP cases is needed to improve our understanding of these anatomical variations and improve surgical approaches to individuals with CLP undergoing orthognathic procedures.

Stability between single and segmental maxillary osteotomies in bimaxillary surgery for cleft-associated class III deformity: a CBCT study.

OBJECTIVE: Segmental Le Fort I osteotomy through the cleft is a common strategy to narrow the alveolar cleft in adults. This study compared skeletal stability between single and segmental Le Fort I osteotomies in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective analysis examined 45 adults with complete UCLP-associated class III deformities who underwent bimaxillary surgery with either single (n = 30) or segmental (n = 15) Le Fort I advancement. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of the facial skeleton were acquired before surgery, 1-week postsurgery, and at follow-up. Measures of landmarks from the CBCT images for the two treatment groups were compared for translation (left/right, posterior/anterior, superior/inferior) and rotation (yaw, roll, pitch). RESULTS: Postsurgery, the downward movement of the maxilla was larger in the segmental group than the single group. At follow-up, the maxilla moved backward in both groups, and upward in the segmental group. The mandible moved forward and upward and rotated upward in both groups. The amount of upward movement and rotation was larger in the segmental group than the single group. CONCLUSIONS: Two years after bimaxillary surgery in patients with UCLP-associated class III deformity, greater relapse was found after segmental Le Fort I osteotomies in vertical translation of the maxilla and mandible, and pitch rotation of the mandible compared with single Le Fort I osteotomies. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The vertical relapse of the maxilla was larger after segmental Le Fort I advancement compared with single Le Fort I advancement in clefts.

Congenital midline upper lip sinus in an infant.

Congenital lip sinus is a rare entity with upper lip sinus being rarer than the lower lip sinus. It can be an isolated entity or associated with cleft lip, palate or Van der Woude syndrome. Syndromic association requires proper evaluation and aggressive surgical treatment. Preoperative delineation of the sinus tract with ultrasound sonography or MRI is mandatory. Simple excision is sufficient in cases of isolated sinuses. In this article, we report an infant with upper lip sinus managed successfully with simple excision and reviewed the literature.

Mandibular condyle volumes are associated with facial asymmetry in patients with cleft lip and palate: A retrospective cohort study.

This study compares condylar volumetric asymmetry and facial asymmetry in patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) and controls. The mandibular condyle is important to facial growth, but its role in facial asymmetry for those with CLP has not been described. Condylar volumes and mandibular asymmetry were retrospectively calculated using Mimics Version 23.0 (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium) from patients with CLP undergoing computed tomography (CT) imaging and a cohort of controls. A total of 101 participants, 60 with CLP and 41 controls, had mean condylar volumetric asymmetry of 16.4 ± 17.4 % (CLP) and 6.0 ± 4.0 % (controls) (p = 0.0002). Patients with CLP who had clinically significant chin deviation (>4 mm) had more asymmetric condyles than those without significant chin deviation (p = 0.003). The chin deviated toward the smaller condyle in patients with facial asymmetry more often than in patients without facial asymmetry (81 % vs. 62 %, p = 0.033). While controls had some degree of condylar asymmetry, it tended to be milder and not associated with facial asymmetry. There is a greater degree of condylar volumetric asymmetry in patients with CLP compared to individuals in the general population. Clinically significant facial asymmetry in CLP is associated with a higher degree of condylar asymmetry, with the facial midline deviating toward the smaller condyle.

Comprehensive repair of the alveolar cleft using cortical and cancellous bone layers: A retrospective study.

To retrospectively review the clinical effect of comprehensive treatment of alveolar cleft (CTAC) using the mandible as the bone source. Patients with alveolar clefts who met the inclusion criteria were subjected to a CTAC protocol that included the following: (1) preoperative orthodontic treatment for creating good soft-tissue conditions; (2) 'area-like grafting' with subperiosteal osteogenic chin bone instead of cartilaginous osteogenic iliac bone; (3) simulation of normal bone anatomy via a sandwich-like bone graft consisting of 'cortical bone + cancellous bone + cortical bone'; and (4) strong internal fixation to ensure initial bone block stability. At 6 months postoperatively, the titanium plate was removed and cone-beam computed tomography was performed to evaluate the surgical results. A total of 54 patients underwent treatment with the CTAC protocol. The average age at the initial operation was 10.3 ± 2.1 years, and the average hospital stay was 2.8 ± 0.6 days. At 6 months postoperatively, 49 patients (90.7%) showed good clinical results. The transplanted bone block formed a 'cortical bone + cancellous bone + cortical bone' structure similar to that of the normal jawbone. A mature bone bridge formed, and the impacted permanent teeth continued to erupt and enter the bone graft area. CTAC is a comprehensive restorative solution for alveolar cleft repair that integrates multiple concepts, including orthodontics, embryology, anatomy, and improvements to surgical methods. The method is easy to perform, causes little surgical trauma, and shows a stable success rate, and is thus worth promoting.

Objective and subjective evaluation of the efficacy of trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis: A correlation analysis between computed tomography measurements and FACE-Q scores.

Previous studies on the efficacy of trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis (TSDO) to treat midface hypoplasia caused by cleft lip and palate (CLP) have mainly focused on objective measurements while ignoring the subjective feelings of patients. This study aimed to analyse the changes in and correlation between computed tomography (CT) measurements and FACE-Q scores in patients who underwent TSDO by performing a comprehensive evaluation from both objective and subjective perspectives. This retrospective study included 25 patients with an average age of 10.7 years who had midface hypoplasia caused by CLP and underwent TSDO between August 2018 and December 2022. The average follow-up time was 18.8 ± 7.7 months. Facial morphology and CT measurements, including A-CR, N-A⊥HR, the SNA angle and the L-ZA, indicated significant improvements in midface concavity (all p < 0.0001). All FACE-Q scores (except for facial function) exhibited a significant increase. The ΔA-CR, ΔN-A⊥HR, and ΔSNA angle were strongly correlated with specific aspects of the FACE-Q-Appearance items, including the ΔFACE-Q-Appearance of the cheeks (all p < 0.0001), the ΔFACE-Q-Appearance of the face (all p < 0.0001), the ΔFACE-Q-Appearance of the jaws (all p < 0.01), the ΔSatisfaction with decision (all p < 0.0001) and the ΔSatisfaction with outcome (all p < 0.001). However, the ΔA-CR, ΔN-A⊥HR, and ΔSNA were weakly correlated with other FACE-Q-Health-related quality of life and function items. These findings suggest that both CT findings and FACE-Q scores have their own emphases and advantages. It is necessary to establish an integrated curative effect evaluation model that combines FACE-Q scores with CT measurements to evaluate both the physical health and psychological status of patients.

Comparison of Alveolar Bone Grafting Outcomes using CBCT in Individuals with UCLP Based on the Presurgical Orthodontic Treatment Methods.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose is to evaluate outcomes of alveolar bone grafting based on the pre-grafting orthodontic preparation methods. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate. SUBJECTS AND SETTINGS: 28 individuals with non-syndromic UCLP from two craniofacial centers, 14 individuals each from XXXX and XXXX. INTERVENTIONS: The alignment group underwent maxillary expansion with incisors alignment while the non-alignment group underwent only maxillary expansion for presurgical orthodontic preparation. METHODS: Initial and post-surgical CBCT scans were compared to observe changes in angulation of the incisor adjacent to the cleft site, alveolar bony root coverage, and bone graft outcomes. RESULTS: In the alignment group, the buccolingual rotation decreased by 32.35 degrees (p = .0002), the anteroposterior inclination increased by 14.01 degrees (p = .0004), and the mesiodistal angulation decreased by 17.88 degrees (p = .0001). Alveolar bony coverage did not change after bone graft in both groups, and no difference was observed between the groups. Chelsea scale showed satisfactory bone graft outcome (category A, C) in 12 cases (85.71%) in the alignment group and 11 cases (78.51%) in the non-alignment group. The volumetric measurement showed the alignment group had better bone fill of 69.85% versus 51.45% in the non-alignment group (p = .0495). CONCLUSIONS: Alveolar bony coverage on the tooth adjacent to cleft sites did not change with alveolar bone grafting surgery in either of the alignment and non-alignment group. Presurgical orthodontic alignment does not induce root exposure nor poorer bone grafting outcome.

Evaluation of maxillary alveolar ridge formation and ridge continuity after secondary alveolar bone grafting using cancellous and cortico-cancellous bone graft in unilateral cleft alveolus using cone beam computed tomographic scan - a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of present study was to compare and evaluate the maxillary alveolar ridge formation and ridge continuity using cancellous and corticocanellous bone graft harvested from anterior iliac crest for complete secondary unilateral cleft alveolus defects. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All patients were randomized into two groups for secondary alveolar bone grafting. Group I (n = 10) patients treated with cancellous particulate bone graft and group II (n = 10) patients treated with cortico-cancellous block graft. Maxillary alveolar ridge bone formation was assessed with the help of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan using Planmeca Romexis Viewer 5.0 software. Maxillary alveolar ridge continuity was assessed with axial section of CBCT scan and clinical occlusal photograph. Preoperative CBCT scan and occlusal photographs were compared with post-op 6-month CBCT scan and occlusal photographs. RESULT: The mean preoperative volume of cleft defect in group I was 4.2576 cm3 whereas in group II it was 4.2268 cm3. The mean postoperative bone bridge formation after 6 months in group I was 4.055 cm3 whereas in group II it was 3.8103 cm3. Preoperative and 6-month postoperative axial sections of CBCT scans were compared and 100% maxillary alveolar ridge continuity was achieved in both groups. The preoperative and postoperative occlusal photographs of both the groups were compared and showed accurate bone and well aligned maxillary alveolar ridge formation in all patients. CONCLUSION: The present study concluded that maxillary alveolar ridge formation rate is less in cortico-cancellous iliac crest block graft compared to cancellous iliac crest particulate graft, but is equally good as cancellous bone graft. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: (REF/2020/09/031605)/ CTRI/ 2020/09/028001.

Accuracy of prenatal detection of facial clefts and relation between facial clefts, additional malformations and chromosomal abnormalities: a large referral-center cohort.

PURPOSE: Facial clefts belong to the most common congenital malformations and their prenatal diagnosis is a constant challenge. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of prenatal ultrasound in correctly classifying facial clefts. Furthermore, we aimed to specify the distribution of the type of clefts and underlying genetic conditions. METHODS: All fetuses seen with suspected facial cleft in the Department of Obstetrics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin during a period of 23 years (1999-2022) were included in this retrospective study. Clefts were classified according to the classification of Nyberg. All additional prenatal findings were assessed and correlated with the outcome. The accuracy of prenatal diagnosis was assessed. RESULTS: 292 patients were included in the study. The most common type of clefts were unilateral cleft lip and palate (CL-P) (53.6%) and bilateral CL-P (30.6%), followed by CL (8.1%), CP (5.1%) and median CL-P (2.6%). The overall pre- and postnatal concordance rate corresponding to a correct prenatal diagnosis was high, 88.9%, ranging from 73.7% (CL) to 93.7% (unilateral CL-P). Most of the median clefts (95.2%) and CP (93.3%) were associated with other sonographic abnormalities, as well as 52.2% of bilateral CL-P. Chromosomal abnormalities, mostly trisomy 13 and trisomy 18, were observed in in the median CL-P (47.6%), bilateral CL-P (31.1%) and CP (26.7%) groups, in contrast to the CL (9.1%) and unilateral CL-P (12.9%) groups. It was exceptional to have a chromosomal abnormality without additional malformations (4.8%). The mortality rate including one late miscarriage, 5 IUFD's, 74 TOPs and 6 palliative cares at birth was 29.8%, particularly high for median clefts (90.5%). CONCLUSION: Prenatal ultrasound exhibited a high accuracy to assess the type of facial clefts with an average rate of 88.9% (73.7%-93.7%) and a concordance rate of up to 93.7%, depending on the type of cleft. The search for additional malformations as well as clarifying underlying genetic conditions is essential. This allows for a targeted counseling of the parents and to best prepare for postnatal care, including surgery by the maxillofacial team.

Surgery-First Orthognathic Approach for Correction of Dentofacial Deformity in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

BACKGROUND: Although several studies have reported the advantages of the surgery-first approach for orthognathic correction of class III deformity, there is no report of the success of this approach for patients with cleft lip and palate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability and outcome of bimaxillary surgery for cleft-related dentofacial deformity using a surgery-first approach. METHODS: Forty-one patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate who consecutively underwent Le Fort I and bilateral sagittal split osteotomies for skeletal class III deformity were included. Cone-beam computed tomographic scans before surgery, 1 week after surgery, and after orthodontic treatment were used to measure the surgical and postsurgical changes in jaw position by landmarks, and outcomes of jaw protrusion and relation, incisor angle and occlusion, and menton deviation after treatment. Self-report questionnaires regarding satisfaction with overall appearance of the face and seven facial regions were administered after treatment. RESULTS: A clinically insignificant relapse was found in the maxilla (<1 mm) and mandible (<2 mm). There was a significant improvement in the jaw protrusion and relation, incisor angle and occlusion, and menton deviation. Responses from the self-report questionnaires completed after treatment indicated that patient satisfaction was high. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate surgical-orthodontic treatment with a surgery-first approach can successfully improve cleft-related dentofacial deformity in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Low-Dose Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for Assessment of Alveolar Clefts: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Image Quality.

BACKGROUND: Children born with an alveolar cleft receive bone grafts for improved function and aesthetics. The cleft area is examined radiologically before and after bone graft. Optimizing radiographic examination protocols is essential to protect these patients from possible delayed radiation injury later in life. This study investigates whether image quality of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) exposed with an ultra-low-dose (ULD) protocol is comparable to the clinical default protocol, the standard dose (SD) protocol, in visualizing details of importance in bone grafting of alveolar clefts. METHODS: In this randomized controlled study, 72 patients with unilateral or bilateral alveolar clefts between 9 and 19 years (mean age, 9.5 years) were randomized 1:1 with either a ULD or an SD CBCT examination protocol. The CBCT scans were conducted with a Planmeca ProMax Mid scanner with an 8 × 5-cm field of view. Two experienced radiologists blindly evaluated the images and visibility of cortical bone border, trabecular bone, tooth anatomy, root development, periodontal space, and cleft width. The visibility was categorized as unacceptable, acceptable, or excellent. RESULTS: Mann-Whitney U test showed no significant differences in structure visibility between ULD and SD protocols regarding anatomical structures of interest: cortical bone border ( P = 0.07), trabecular bone ( P = 0.64), tooth anatomy ( P = 0.09), root development ( P = 0.57), periodontal space ( P = 0.38), and cleft width ( P = 0.44). CONCLUSIONS: ULD and standard CBCT protocols provide comparable image quality in terms of structure visibility in the examination of alveolar clefts. The ULD protocol is preferred to the SD protocol because of the lower radiation dose without compromising diagnostic information of CBCT images. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic, I.

What is the Success Rate of Repeat Alveolar Bone Graft?

BACKGROUND: Success rates for alveolar bone grafting range from 30 to 96%. There is limited information regarding the success of repeat grafts. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the radiographic success rate of repeat alveolar bone grafts. STUDY DESIGN: The study designs was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent repeat grafting by 1 surgeon over 15 years. To be included, subjects had to have: cleft lip and alveolus and a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan obtained >6 months after repeat graft. Patients were excluded if CBCT was inadequate. PREDICTOR VARIABLE: Predictor variables were sex, age at repeat graft, cleft type, presence of an erupted canine, premaxillary osteotomy at time of repeat graft, presence of a visible oronasal fistula, size of bony defect, presence of a bony palatal bridge, and whether the surgeon who performed the repeat graft also performed the initial graft. MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE: The outcome variable was graft success determined using CBCT assessment and defined as a score of >3 out of 4 in each domain: vertical bone level, labiopalatal thickness, and piriform symmetry. COVARIATES: The covariates were time from bone graft to CBCT (months) and age at time of CBCT (years). ANALYSES: Frequency distributions, relative risk with 95% confidence intervals, medians, and interquartile ranges were calculated. Pearson c2 and Fisher exact tests were performed to determine predictors of outcome. A P < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Fifty subjects (54% male) who had repeat bone grafting to 59 cleft sites were included. Median follow-up time from repeat graft to CBCT was 7.0 months (interquartile range: 5.9 months). The radiographic success rate was 81.4%:91.7% if the same surgeon performed both initial and repeat grafts, but 78.7% if initial graft was completed by another surgeon (P = .43). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Despite being a multifactorial issue, extensive and bilateral clefts, the presence of an erupted tooth in the cleft area, a visible oronasal fistula, and concomitant osteotomy of the premaxilla are warning signs of the possibility of failure. Performing repeat alveolar bone grafting by an experienced surgeon appears to increase the chance of success.

Idiopathic Fistula in an Unrepaired Submucous Cleft Palate.

Palatal fistulae are a recognised complication in individuals who have undergone surgical repair of a cleft palate, however, congenital or idiopathic palatal fistulae are rare. This report discusses the presentation and treatment of a 16-year-old female with a submucous cleft palate, who presented with a recent onset change in speech and evidence of a new palatal fistula. There was no history of recent infection or known trauma, and the patient had not undergone any previous palatal surgery. This report discusses the clinical presentation, recommended management and relevant literature for this rare phenomenon.

[Assessment of the structural features of the hard palate in endonasal surgery]. / Otsenka anatomii tverdogo neba v khirurgii peregorodki nosa.

Data on the features of the anatomical structure of the hard palate are little described in the scientific literature, and therefore are not taken into account when planning surgical treatment. One of the intraoperative complications during intervention on the lower part of the nasal septum is perforation of the bottom of the nasal cavity, which can develop during a christotomy. This complication mainly depends on the features of the anatomical structure of the hard palate. OBJECTIVE: To study the anatomical structure of the hard palate from the point of view of rhinosurgery, using vector analysis of multispiral computed tomography (MSCT), and to establish anatomical features that should be taken into account when performing surgical interventions on the nasal septum. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 107 patients (30 men, 77 women) were examined without congenital cleft palate and surgical interventions on the structures of the nasal cavity and hard palate. All patients underwent MSCT of the nose and paranasal sinuses (PNS) followed by multiplanar image reconstruction. The key point relative to which the measurements were carried out was the posterior wall of the incisor canal from the side of the nasal cavity. The line corresponding to the bottom of the nasal cavity was chosen as the main vector. In the work, measurements of the thickness of the hard palate (THP) at the level of the palatal suture and the width of the palatal suture (WPS) were carried out. RESULTS: Statistical analysis of the obtained results showed that the THP is 1.74 mm [min 0.28; max 6.46], the WPS is 0.9 mm [min 0.2; max 2.51] (conditional norm). In 19 patients (17.8%), the THP was 0.82 mm, in 2 patients (1.9%) - 0.2 mm. In 3 patients (2.8%), the WPS was equal to 2.5 mm. CONCLUSION: Thus, the data obtained by us indicate that the surgical anatomy of the hard palate is characterized by significant variability, while in some patients the THP can be reduced by 8.8 times, and the WPS increased by 2.7 times compared to normal values. Such anatomical features of the structure of the hard palate should be taken into account when planning septoplasty, since this contingent of patients has an increased risk of developing iatrogenic perforation of the nasal floor during surgical intervention on the lower floor of the nasal septum.

Deep Learning-Based Diagnostic System for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Based on Videofluoroscopy in Patients With Repaired Cleft Palates.

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which is the incomplete closure of the velopharyngeal valve during speech, is a typical poor outcome that should be evaluated after cleft palate repair. The interpretation of VPI considering both imaging analysis and perceptual evaluation is essential for further management. The authors retrospectively reviewed patients with repaired cleft palates who underwent assessment for velopharyngeal function, including both videofluoroscopic imaging and perceptual speech evaluation. The final diagnosis of VPI was made by plastic surgeons based on both assessment modalities. Deep learning techniques were applied for the diagnosis of VPI and compared with the human experts' diagnostic results of videofluoroscopic imaging. In addition, the results of the deep learning techniques were compared with a speech pathologist's diagnosis of perceptual evaluation to assess consistency with clinical symptoms. A total of 714 cases from January 2010 to June 2019 were reviewed. Six deep learning algorithms (VGGNet, ResNet, Xception, ResNext, DenseNet, and SENet) were trained using the obtained dataset. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the algorithms ranged between 0.8758 and 0.9468 in the hold-out method and between 0.7992 and 0.8574 in the 5-fold cross-validation. Our findings demonstrated the deep learning algorithms performed comparable to experienced plastic surgeons in the diagnosis of VPI based on videofluoroscopic velopharyngeal imaging.

Perception of aesthetic features after surgical treatment of craniofacial malformations by observers of the same age: An eye-tracking study.

The aim of this study is to evaluate where exactly children and adolescents of the same group look when they interact with each other, and attempt to record and analyse the data recorded by eye-tracking technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 subjects participated in the study, evenly divided into three age categories of 20 each in pre-school/primary school age (5-9 years), early adolescence (10-14 years) and late adolescence/transition to adulthood (15-19 years). Age groups were matched and categorized to be used both for creating the picture series and testing. Photographs of patients with both unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate were used to create the series of images which consisted of a total of 15 photos, 5 of which were photos of patients with surgically treated cleft deformity and 10 control photos with healthy faces, that were presented in random order. Using the eye-tracking module, the data on "area of first view" (area of initial attention), "area with longest view" (area of sustained attention), "time until view in this area" (time of initial attention) and "frequency of view in each area" (time of sustained attention) were calculated. RESULTS: Across all groups, there was no significant difference for the individual regions for the parameters of initial attention (area of first view), while the time until first fixation of one of the AOIs (time until view in this area) was significant for all facial regions. A predictable path of the facial scan is abandoned when secondary facial deformities are present and attention is focused more on the region of an existing deformity, which are the nose and mouth regions. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in both male and female participants' viewing of faces with and without secondary cleft deformity. While in the age group of the younger test persons it was still the mouth region that received special attention from the male viewers, this shifted in the male test persons of the middle age group to the nose region, which was fixed significantly more often and faster. In the female participants, the mouth and nose regions were each looked at for twice as long compared to the healthy faces, making both the mouth and the nose region are in the focus of observation.

A retrospective cephalometric study on the craniofacial morphology of adult patients with unoperated submucous cleft palate.

This retrospective cross-sectional study reviewed adult patients with unrepaired SMCP, OCP and normal control and performed comprehensive skeletal and soft tissue morphological analyses basing on lateral cephalometric radiographs. One way-ANOVA and rank-sum tests detected potential intergroup differences. 32 subjects with unrepaired SMCP, 42 with unrepaired OCP and 28 noncleft normal controls were enrolled. Both the SMCP and OCP groups were significantly different from the normal controls in sagittal maxillary length, jaw relationship, facial profile angle, nasal base and nasal tip prominence, upper lip position, and lower lip protrusion. S-N-A angle in the control group (82.25 ± 2.74°) was significantly greater than in the SMCP (77.96 ± 4.05°, p<0.001) and OCP (78.55 ± 2.93°, p<0.001) groups. Nasolabial angle in the control group (99.18 ± 8.76°) was significantly greater than in the SMCP (91.75 ± 8.93°, p = 0.002) and OCP (93.69 ± 7.24°, p = 0.020) groups. No significant difference was detected between the SMCP and the OCP group in other measurements except upper facial height. Within the limitations of the study it seems that craniofacial growth is impaired in patients with submucous clefts to the same extent as in patients with a conventional cleft palate.

Influence of osseous structure characteristics of unilateral alveolar cleft on outcomes of alveolar bone grafting: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: To enhance the success rate of alveolar bone grafting, it is crucial to identify the factors that may influence the postoperative bone formation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of various osseous structure characteristics of alveolar clefts on the survival ratio of autogenous cancellous bone particle grafts. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 60 patients who underwent surgery performed by the same surgeon between 2016 and 2022. Two researchers measured and recorded the bone defect volume (DV), postoperative bone formation volume at 1 year, contact area between the graft and the bone surface within the cleft (S), cleft width (CW), osseous occlusion relationships, and presence of a cleft palate and initial bone bridge within the cleft for each patient. Pearson correlation analysis, Spearman's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: The analysis results revealed statistical correlations between DV, CW, ratio of S to DV, cleft palate, initial bone bridge presence, and occlusion relationships with the survival rate. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that initial bone bridge and occlusion relationships affected the graft survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the presence of initial bone bridges and occlusions, we can make a rough estimate of the postoperative bone formation outcome in patients. However, the underlying mechanisms by which these two factors influence the bone formation require further investigation. In addition, preoperative orthodontic treatment to improve occlusal relationships may improve the postoperative bone formation outcomes in alveolar bone grafting.

An easy-to-use semi-automatic volumetric evaluation for secondary bone grafting in patients with unilateral alveolar cleft.

Surgical intervention for alveolar bone formation is important in patients with alveolar cleft; however, the treatment methods and materials are still controversial. A precise evaluation method for postoperative bone formation is important for comparing outcomes and establishing the best treatment protocol. The purpose of this study is to establish a new method of evaluating surgical outcomes for patients with alveolar cleft. Computed tomography datasets from 20 patients who underwent secondary alveolar bone grafting were obtained before and 1 year after surgery. Six anatomical landmarks were used to superimpose the preoperative and mirrored preoperative volume and postoperative volume data. The cleft region was segmented by subtracting the preoperative from mirrored preoperative volume data, and the failed osteogenesis region was segmented by subtracting the postoperative volume data from the cleft region; subsequently, the bone formation ratio was calculated. Two observers performed this method using a free software 3D slicer and the average evaluation times were 12.7 and 13.2 min for observers 1 and 2, respectively. Method reliability was determined by evaluating intraclass correlation coefficients. The intra-observer intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.97 and 0.96 for observers 1 and 2, respectively. The inter-observer intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.97. Our method is practical for assessing bone formation after treatment, which does not require specific knowledge or software and can be used by ordinary physicians.

Piriform Rim Asymmetry in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients Before Orthognathic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) creates a continuity defect on the nasal floor, which contributes to nasal asymmetry. Traditionally, piriform rim symmetry has been evaluated by comparing cleft and noncleft sides. No study has compared the magnitude of perinasal asymmetry in UCLP patients with a control group of patients without clefts. PURPOSE: To address the following question: In UCLP patients, whose alveolar clefts are reconstructed with alveolar bone grafts (ABGs), is the magnitude of remaining piriform rim asymmetry similar to that of patients without UCLP? STUDY DESIGN SETTING, SAMPLE: This is a retrospective cohort study that used the cone beam computed tomography of UCLP and non-UCLP patients to evaluate the piriform rim symmetry. The sample was derived from patients who presented for orthognathic surgery between January 2015 and December 2022. To be included, patients had to have a maxillary deficiency. The cleft group had ABG performed with symphyseal bone harvest and bone morphogenetic protein application. Patients were excluded from the control group if they had clinical asymmetry and nasal septum deviation. Patients from the UCLP group were excluded if they failed the first attempt of ABG or had a syndrome. Preorthognathic cone beam computed tomography was used to measure the distance from the inferior and lateral aspects of the piriform rim to reference lines. PREDICTOR VARIABLE: UCLP status grouped as present or absent (control). OUTCOME VARIABLES: The magnitude of piriform rim asymmetry defined as the millimetric distance from the inferior and lateral aspects of the piriform rim to reference lines. COVARIATES: The covariates were age, sex, tissue thickness at the level of the alar base, and turbinate size. ANALYSIS: Welch's two-sample t-test was utilized to compare means. A level of significance of 5% (P < .05) was used for all analyses. To analyze the reliability of the measurements intraexaminer and interexaminer errors were tested using the Weir method. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were included, 30 in each group. The mean age of UCLP patients was 16.76 (range 13 to 25), and the control group was 17 (range 13 to 25), P = .71. The UCLP group had 12 girls, and the control had 18 girls (P = .12). In the UCLP group, the mean discrepancy between affected and unaffected sides at the inferior aspect of the piriform rim was 3.9 mm (range 0.9 to 7 mm, P < .01), and in the control group the discrepancy between right and left sides was 0.1 mm (0-2.1 mm, P = .87). The mean discrepancy between affected and unaffected sides at the lateral aspect of the piriform rim was 3.6 mm (range 0.7 to 7.6 mm, P < .01) in the UCLP group, and in the control group the discrepancy between right and left sides was 0.1 mm (range 0.1 to 5.8 mm, P = .78) in the control group. The mean alar base soft tissue thickness discrepancy was 3.1 mm (range 0.9 to 7.9 mm, P < .01) in the UCLP group and 0 mm (range -1.8 to 1.9 mm, P = .97) in the control group. The mean difference in the turbinate area in the UCLP group was 314 mm2 (range 797 to 2,898) and in the control group 35 mm2 (range 702 to 2,302) (P = .19). CONCLUSION: ABG with symphyseal bone and bone morphogenetic protein was not able to provide the same level of piriform symmetry observed in patients without a cleft. Alar base tissue was thicker on the cleft side, and the turbinate size demonstrated greater variability in the UCLP patients.