The Impact of Facial Growth in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Treated With 2 Different Protocols.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: It is well known that palatoplasty can often cause disturbances in maxillary growth. The use of a single-layer vomer flap for the early closure of the hard palate is controversy among surgeons. The aim of this study is to compare the 10-year facial growth of 2 surgical protocols in the treatment of patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate performed by a single surgeon. METHODS: This retrospective analysis includes 43 nonsyndromic patients with complete unilateral cleft lip with or without a vomer flap for the closure of the hard palate during cleft-lip repair. Lateral cephalograms were obtained at the age of 5, 7, and 9 years old, and angular measurements were used to assess patient's facial growth. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare 2 treatment protocol groups. RESULT: A total of 23 patients in protocol 1 group (16 male, 7 female) and 20 patients in protocol 2 group (10 male, 10 female) were included. At the age of 5 and 7, there was no significant difference of maxillary and mandibular growth in both groups. At the age of 9 years, all the angular measurement revealed statistical significance with SNA (P = 0.02), SNB (P = 0.05), ANB (P < 0.01), and SNPg (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present study has shown that early anterior palate repair for 3-month-old cleft patients have better maxillary growth and less mandibular prognathism.

Anterolateral corridor approach to the infratemporal fossa and central skull base in maxillectomy: rationale and technical aspects.

We describe the technical aspects and report our clinical experience of a surgical approach to the infratemporal fossa that aims to reduce local recurrence after operations for cancer of the posterior maxilla. We tested the technique by operating on 3 cadavers and then used the approach in 16 patients who had posterolateral maxillectomy for disease that arose on the maxillary alveolus or junction of the hard and soft palate (maxillary group), and in 19 who had resection of the masticatory compartment and central skull base for advanced sinonasal cancer (sinonasal group). Early proximal ligation of the maxillary artery was achieved in all but one of the 35 patients. Access to the infratemporal fossa enabled division of the pterygoid muscles and pterygoid processes under direct vision in all cases. No patient in the maxillary group had local recurrence at median follow up of 36 months. Four patients (21%) in the sinonasal group had local recurrence at median follow up of 27 months. Secondary haemorrhage from the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery resulted in the only perioperative death. The anterolateral corridor approach enables controlled resection of tumours that extend into the masticatory compartment.

Patterns of local recurrence after primary resection of cancers that arise in the sinonasal region and the maxillary alveolus.

Local recurrence remains the most important sign of relapse of disease after treatment of advanced cancer of the maxilla and sinonasal region. In this retrospective study we describe patterns of recurrence in a group of patients who had had open resection for cancer of the sinonasal region and posterior maxillary alveolus with curative intent. Casenotes and imaging studies were reviewed to find out the pattern of any relapse, with particular reference to local recurrence. The minimum follow-up period was 12 months. Of 50 patients a total of 16 developed recurrences, 11 of which were local. Of those 11, a total of 8 were in posterior and superior locations (the orbit, the infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossas, the traversing neurovascular canals of the body of the sphenoid to the cavernous sinus, the Gasserian ganglion, and the dura of the middle cranial fossa). Advanced cancer of the midface often equates with disease at the skull base. Treatment, including surgical tactics, should reflect that.