Three-Dimensional Assessment of Early Surgical Outcome in Repaired Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: Part 2. Lip Changes.

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To evaluate 3D lip morphology, following primary reconstruction in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) relative to contemporaneous non-cleft data Design: Prospective, cross-sectional, controlled study Setting: Glasgow Dental Hospital & School, University of Glasgow, The UK. Patients and Participants: Two groups of 3-year old children (21 with unilateral cleft lip and palate and 96 controls) with facial images taken using a 3D vision based capture technique. Methods: 3D images of the face were reflected so the cleft was on the left side to create a homogenous group for statistical analysis. Three-dimensional co-ordinates of anthropometric landmarks were extracted from facial images. 3D generalised Procustes superimposition was employed and a set of linear measurements were utilised to compare between cleft and control subjects for right and left sides, adjusting for sex differences. Results: Christa philteri on both the cleft and non-cleft sides were displaced laterally and posteriorly; there was also a statistically significant increase in philtrum width. No significant differences between cleft and control regarding the cutaneous height of the upper lip. The lip in the cleft cases was flatter than in the non-cleft cases with less prominence of labialis superioris. Conclusions: Stereophotogrammetry allows detection of residual dysmorphology following cleft repair. There was significant increase of the philtrum width. The lip appeared flatter and more posterior displaced in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (UCLP) cases compared with control. Keywords: child, cleft lip and palate, lip repair, three-dimensional imaging.