A randomized controlled trial comparing two techniques for unilateral cleft lip and palate: Growth and speech outcomes during mixed dentition

Comparison of a third surgical protocol for the treatment of unilateral cleft lip and palate: a multidisciplinary systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis builds upon our previous publication on the outcomes of patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) treated with Oslo protocols (OP; vomerplasty during lip closure vs delayed hard palate closure protocols (DHPCP), comparing the outcomes of these two protocols with those of one-stage palatoplasty protocols (OSPP). A systematic search of the Embase, MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases was conducted until August 2024. In total, 162 articles (156 study groups) were reviewed, including 4040 UCLP patients following OSPP, 1632 following OP, and 791 following DHPCP. The results suggest that intrinsic maxillofacial growth disturbances are common in UCLP patients, regardless of the timing or type of palatal closure. The incidence of velopharyngeal insufficiency was significantly higher in OP (24%) when compared to DHPCP (9%), with OSPP showing an intermediate incidence (14%). However, these findings are of very low certainty due to evident non-reporting bias and limited data. In contrast, OP and OSPP showed lower oronasal fistula (ONF) rates (7% for OP, 10% for OSPP) compared to DHPCP (20%). Altogether, OSPP and OP are favoured over DHPCP due to the lower incidences of ONF, better overall speech outcomes, and fewer primary surgeries.

A Systematic Review: Early Simultaneous Vomer Flap with Primary Cleft Lip Repair, Does it Bring More Benefits?

INTRODUCTION

Vomer flap is a technique to close cleft lip and palate. This technique is a simple procedure that has many benefits. However, the vomer flap's application together with primary lip closure is still questionable.

OBJECTIVE

To find out whether the vomer flap's application in primary cleft lip repair can provide significant benefits.

DESIGN

A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA methodology has been licensed in PROSPERO databases (CRD42023399487).

SETTING

A comprehensive search was set out, utilizing eight data sources up to March 2023.

PARTICIPANTS

Both cohort studies and randomized control trials regarding the use of vomer flaps performed concurrently with cleft lip repair in children up to six months old.

RESULTS

This article involved 8 studies involving 542 patients who met the inclusion criteria, consisting of 6 retrospective cohort studies, 1 RCT study, and 1 prospective cohort study. Vomer flaps provide a reduction in palatal cleft distance of 3-5 mm, a relatively small number of fistulas (0-4%), improvement of velopharyngeal function (nasal tone and nasal emission), maximal development of the maxilla although it is still controversial.

CONCLUSION

The vomer flap's application in primary cleft lip repair provides many advantages, such as reduced palatal and alveolar clefts, decreased risk of oronasal fistula, increased velopharyngeal function, and increased maxillary growth. It is reliable for the management of cleft lip and palate.

Comparison of two surgical protocols for the treatment of unilateral cleft lip and palate: a multidisciplinary systematic review and meta-analysis

There is still no unanimous agreement on the optimal surgical protocol(s) for the treatment of unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), and a huge variety of protocols are employed by cleft centres across the world. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare reported patient outcomes of the Oslo protocol (and modifications) (OP) and delayed hard palate closure protocols (DHPCP) from a multidisciplinary perspective. A systematic search of multiple databases was conducted until September 2023. Studies reporting any patient outcomes of these protocols were included. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed for evidence synthesis, including comparisons of results between the types of protocol. The quality of evidence was evaluated using the ROBINS-I tool. In total, 62 articles (42 studies) reporting patients with UCLP were reviewed, involving 1281 patients following the OP and 655 following DHPCP. Equally poor long-term sagittal maxillofacial growth was found, and similar results for velopharyngeal insufficiency and nasolabial appearance. In contrast, OP was associated with a lower rate of oronasal fistulas. Disregarding the scarcity of comparable evidence for some domains, the results of this review, overall, favour OP over DHPCP. However, caution should be taken when interpreting the results on velopharyngeal insufficiency and oronasal fistulas, since the possibility of confounding and other biases remains.

Management of Speech and Hearing in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: Current Conditions, Problems, Future Directions

Management of speech and hearing issues in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been challenging, considering the population size and availability of resources. There is a need to investigate the depth of these challenges and explore the efficacy of strategies to overcome them. This review aimed to delineate the speech and hearing issues in individuals with cleft lip and palate and how they have been managed in the context of LMICs. Keywords were developed based on the objectives of the study to search for literature published during the period 2010 to 2023. Articles from PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and ProQuest databases were retrieved using appropriate keyword searches. The titles and abstracts were screened to delete the unsuitable articles. Relevant gray literature and hand-searched articles published were also included. The findings are summarized under the following heads in the context of LMICs: incidence and severity of speech and hearing issues, challenges, and barriers in providing speech and hearing services, methods of developing manpower and training, methods of assessing speech and hearing outcomes, service delivery models employed, and the recent advances relating to management of speech and hearing. A wide range of topics revolving around managing speech and hearing issues in individuals with cleft lip and palate has been researched in the context of LMICs. Scattered and fragmented solutions have been provided to overcome the varied challenges in LMICs. The gaps in the literature and the future directions for research have been identified.

Long-term Follow-up of Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: Incidence of Speech-Correcting Surgeries and Fistula Formation

While bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) constitutes a clinical challenge for the whole cleft team, the ideal surgical protocol remains obscure. This study presents the long-term burden of care in terms of secondary surgeries, defined as fistula repair and speech-correcting surgeries (SCS), in a single center. Outcomes of two surgical protocols utilized over the years were also compared.

A retrospective single-center analysis of 81 non-syndromic children with complete BCLP born between 1990 and 2010. Two surgical protocols comprising single-stage and two-stage (delayed hard palate closure) procedures were compared. Outcome was analyzed at the time of alveolar bone grafting (ABG) and post-ABG.

Altogether 54 children (66.7%) had underwent secondary surgery by the time of bilateral ABG. At this point, 38.3% (n = 31) of patients had received SCS and 49.4% (n = 40) had undergone fistula repair. The corresponding incidences at the end of follow-up were 46.9% (n = 38) and 53.1% (n = 43). No significant difference emerged in SCS incidence between the 2 protocols; however, prior to ABG the single-stage protocol had a significantly lower need for fistula repair. Regarding the location of fistulas, some differences were observed, with the single-stage procedure more associated with anterior fistulas.

BCLP has a high surgical burden of care in terms of secondary surgeries, defined as SCS and fistula repair. In our experience, the single-stage protocol, particularly the two-flap technique, offers better results in the management of BCLP than the two-stage approach with a short delay in hard palate closure.

Growth Outcomes Audit for Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (UCLP) After 2-stage Palate Repair

PURPOSE

To assess the impact of 1 and 2-stage palatoplasty protocol on the dental arch relationships in unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) in a single center.

METHODS

Our study consisted of 349 individuals divided into 2 groups according to the palatoplasty protocol. Two-stage group comprised 169 subjects with UCLP (mean age: 6.9 y, 110 male and 59 female) who underwent lip, nasal ala, and anterior palate repair with vomer flap from 3 to 6 months (first surgery stage). Soft palate repair occurred from 12 to 18 months (second surgery stage). The one-stage group comprised 180 subjects with UCLP (mean age: 7.2 y, 108 male and 72 female) who underwent 1-stage palatoplasty. Dental models were evaluated by 3 experienced orthodontists applying Goslon Yardstick and the 5-year-old index (FYOI). The influence of the palatoplasty technique and surgeon factor on the interarch relationship was evaluated. The weighted Kappa was used to assess intraexaminer and interexaminer agreements for comparisons of dental arch relationships. Intergroup comparisons were conducted using the χ 2 test ( P <0.05).

RESULTS

The intraexaminer reliability was very good (0.81 to 0.98) and interexaminer reliability varied from satisfactory to very good (0.56 to 0.83). The mean occlusal index of the 2-stage and 1-stage groups was 2.77 and 3.03, respectively. The variability of the mean index between surgeons varied from 2.38 to 3.2 in the 2-stage group and 2.91 to 3.2 in the 1-stage group. There were significant differences in the frequency of Goslon 5 index ( P =0.002) between groups, with the 2-stage group presenting less cases (1.18%) than the group 1-stage (11.11%).

CONCLUSION

The interarch relationship was similar for both palate repair protocols. Two-stage palatoplasty showed a decreased prevalence of Goslon index 5.

Speech assessment following microsurgical soft palate repair

The aim of this study was to analyze speech intelligibility of children, who had undergone microsurgical soft palate repair according to Sommerlad. Cleft palate patients were treated by closure of the soft palate according to Sommerlad at about 6 months of age. At the age of 11, their speech was evaluated through automatic speech recognition. Word recognition rate (WR) was used as the outcome parameter of automatic speech recognition. To validate automatic speech results, an institute for speech therapy evaluated the speech samples for perceptual intelligibility. The results of this study group were compared to an age-matched control group. A total of 61 children were evaluated in this study, 29 in the study group and 32 in the control group. Study group patients had a lower word recognition rate (mean 43.03, SD 12.31) compared to the control group (mean 49.98, SD 12.54, p = 0.033). The magnitude of the difference was considered small (95% CI of the difference 0.6-13.3). The study group patients received significantly lower scores in the perceptual evaluation (mean 1.82, SD 0.58) compared to the control group mean (mean 1.51, SD 0.48, p = 0.028). Again, the magnitude of the difference was small (95% CI of the difference 0.03-0.57). Within the limitations of the study it seems that microsurgical soft palate repair according to Sommerlad at the age of 6 months might be a relevant alternative to other well established surgical techniques.

Protocols in the management of Cleft Lip and Palate: A Systematic Review

AIM

To identify clinical decisions on surgical as well as non-surgical modalities for the treatment of CLP patients based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed, Ebscohost, and Cochrane Library were searched and 20 articles based on RCTs conducted on cleft patient management were identified.

RESULTS

The topics explored were infant orthopedics, lip and palate repair, alveolar bone grafting, and management of cleft maxillary hypoplasia. Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) was found to have great benefits when carried out within one month of birth. Fisher and Mohler's lip repair technique and use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rh-BMP2) for alveolar bone grafting showed promising results. rh-BMP2 for alveolar bone grafting appears to be a promising alternative to autografts.

CONCLUSION

Early commencement of NAM in neonatal life is of great benefit to cleft patients. There is a need for more multicentre collaborations, mainly to identify the ideal surgical technique to reduce the variability in treatment and to ensure that the patient receives appropriate evidence-based treatment.

Long-Term Follow-up of Unilateral Cleft lip and Palate: Incidence of Speech-Correcting Surgeries and Fistula Formation

OBJECTIVE

The ideal surgical protocol and technique for primary closure of unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) are unclear, and the development of velopharyngeal insufficiency and fistulae following primary repair is common. This study aimed to determine the long-term surgical burden of care in terms of secondary surgeries, defined as speech-correcting surgeries (SCSs) and fistula repair, in a UCLP population, and to compare outcomes of various surgical protocols.

DESIGN

Retrospective, single-center review.

PARTICIPANTS

The study comprised 290 nonsyndromic children with complete UCLP. Different surgical protocols entailing both single-stage and 2-stage approaches were compared, and the surgical outcome was analyzed at the time of alveolar bone grafting (ABG) and post ABG.

RESULTS

Altogether 110 children (37.9%) underwent secondary surgery by the time of ABG. Of the total population 25.9% (n  =  75) had undergone SCS and 17.2% (n  =  50) had undergone fistula repair. The respective incidences at follow-up (post ABG) were 30.3% (n  =  88) and 18.9% (n  =  55). Median age at ABG was 9.8 years and at follow-up was 16.3 years. No significant difference emerged in terms of secondary surgeries between the techniques and protocols applied at primary repair. However, some differences occurred regarding the location of fistulae; the single-stage procedure had more anterior fistula repairs, particularly connected to a perialveolar fistula.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the outcome differences between the surgical protocols were small, indicating that none of the treatment protocols was clearly superior to another, attention was drawn to the favorable outcomes of the single-stage protocol.

Dental Arch Relationship Outcomes Following 2-Stage Palatoplasty for Japanese Patients With Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: A 3-Center Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare dental arch relationship outcomes following 3 different 2-stage palatal repair protocols.

DESIGN

Retrospective, cross sectional.

SETTING

Three cleft palate centers (A, B, C) in Japan.

PATIENTS

Ninety (A: 39, B: 26, C: 25) consecutively treated Japanese patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate.

INTERVENTIONS

In A, the soft palate and the posterior half of the hard palate were repaired at a mean age of 1 year 7 months. In B, the soft palate and hard palate were closed separately at a mean age of 1 year 6 months and 5 years 8 months, respectively. In C, the soft palate and hard palate were closed at a mean age of 1 year and 1 year 5 months, respectively.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Dental arch relationships were assessed using the 5-Year-Olds' (5-Y) index by 5 raters and the Huddart/Bodenham (HB) index by 2 raters.

RESULTS

Intra- and inter-rater reliabilities showed substantial or almost perfect agreement for the 5-Y and HB ratings. No significant differences in mean values and distributions of 5-Y scores were found among the 3 centers. The mean HB index scores of molars on the minor segment were significantly smaller in C than those in A and B (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences in dental arch relationships at 5 years among the times and techniques of hard palate closure. However, further analysis of the possible influence of infant cleft size as a covariable on a larger sample size is needed.

Oronasal Fistula Incidence Associated With Vomer Flap Repair of Cleft Palate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

To determine the incidence of oronasal fistulas (ONF) associated with primary repair of the anterior palate using a single-layered, superiorly based, vomer mucoperiosteal flap.

DESIGN

A systematic review of MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases using the keywords: "vomer flap" and "cleft palate repair" were carried out. A meta-analysis was performed using random effect modeling with stratified analysis by syndromic diagnosis, number of surgeons, and mean age.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Incidence of ONFs.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included 9 studies with a total of 464 children who met inclusion criteria. The overall ONF rate was 3.0% (95% CI: 1.0-9.0). Fistula rates were not significantly different in studies that included syndromic patients compared to studies that did not, 5.0% (95% CI: 1.0-24.0) versus 3.0% (95% CI: 1.0-6.0), respectively. There was no significant difference between studies in which there was a single surgeon versus multiple surgeons, 3.0% (95% CI: 1.0-13.0) versus 4.0% (95% CI: 1.0-8.0), respectively. Age at the time of cleft repair showed no statistically significant difference in fistula rate when comparing children with a mean age less than 12 months to those greater than 12 months, 3.0% (95% CI: 1.0-5.0) versus 5.0% (95% CI: 1.0-28.0), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The vomer flap technique in cleft palate repair appears to be associated with a low ONF rate unaffected by syndromic diagnosis, number of surgeons, or patient age at time of repair.

Speech of Patients With Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip and Palate: Comparison of Three Different Surgical Protocols for Primary Repair

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Between 1997 and 2014, 3 protocols have been used in out cleft unit for primary repair of unilateral cleft lip and palate. During the Scandcleft randomized controlled trial closing the soft palate and lip at 4 months and the hard palate at 12 months (Protocol 1) was compared with closing the entire palate at 12 months (Protocol 2). Protocol 3 comprises closure of the lip and hard palate with a vomer flap at 4 months and the soft palate at 10 months. The purpose of this study was to compare subsequent velopharyngeal competence at age of 3 and 5 years.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study consisted of 160 non-syndromatic patients with a unilateral cleft lip and palate. Protocol 3 was retrospectively compared with Protocols 1 and 2 within the previously published Scandcleft study.

RESULTS

At 3 years of age, normal or borderline competent velopharyngeal function was found in 68% of patients in Protocol 1, 74% of patients in Protocol 2, and 72% of patients in Protocol 3. At 5 years of age, the corresponding figures were 84%, 82%, and 92%. 21% of patients in Protocol 1, 4% in Protocol 2, and 23% in Protocol 3 had palatal reoperations before the age of 5 years.

CONCLUSION

No significant differences emerged in velopharyngeal competence at age 3 years between the 3 protocols. Palatal reoperations were performed earlier in patient groups 1 and 3, explaining the difference in the velopharyngeal competence rate at the 5-year time-point.

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.

Scandcleft Project Trial 3: Comparison of Speech Outcomes in Relation to Sequence in 2-Stage Palatal Repair Procedures in 5-Year-Olds With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

OBJECTIVE

To compare speech outcome following different sequencing of hard and soft palate closure between arms and centers within trial 3 and compare results to peers without cleft palate.

DESIGN

A prospective randomized clinical trial.

SETTING

Two Norwegian and 2 British centers.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred thirty-six 5-year-olds with unilateral cleft lip and palate were randomized to either lip and soft palate closure at 3 to 4 months and hard palate closure at 12 months (arm A) or lip and hard palate closure at 3 to 4 months and soft palate closure at 12 months (arm D).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A composite measure of velopharyngeal competence (VPC), overall assessment of VPC from connected speech (VPC-Rate). Percentage of consonants correct (PCC), active cleft speech characteristics (CSCs), subdivided by oral retracted and nonoral errors, and developmental speech characteristics (DSCs).

RESULTS

Across the trial, 47% had VPC, with no statistically significant difference between arms within or across centers. Thirty-eight percent achieved a PCC score of >90%, with no difference between arms or centers. In one center, significantly more children in arm A produced ≥3 active CSCs (P < .05). Across centers, there was a statistically significant difference in active CSCs (arm D), oral retracted CSCs (arm D), and DSCs (arms A and D).

CONCLUSIONS

Less than half of the 5-year-olds achieved VPC and around one-third achieved age-appropriate PCC scores. Cleft speech characteristics were more common in arm A, but outcomes varied within and across centers. Thus, outcome of the same surgical method can vary substantially across centers.

The Influence of Four Different Treatment Protocols on Maxillofacial Growth in Patients with Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip, Palate, and Alveolus

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of four different treatment protocols on maxillofacial growth in patients aged 7 to 8 years with unilateral complete cleft lip, palate, and alveolus.

METHODS

Sixty-one patients with nonsyndromic unilateral complete cleft lip, palate, and alveolus were entered into this study and grouped as follows: group 1 patients had a repaired lip and an unrepaired palate; group 2 patients underwent one-stage palatoplasty; group 3 patients underwent two-stage palatoplasty; and group 4 patients underwent lip adhesion and two-stage palatoplasty. The control group was composed of 16 patients with unilateral incomplete cleft lip. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to test the nature of data distribution. The Bonferroni test and the Kruskal-Wallis H test were used for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

Group 5 showed a more protruding maxilla (basion-nasion-A point, basion-nasion-anterior nasal spine, sella-nasion-anterior nasal spine; p < 0.05), longer maxillary sagittal length (anterior nasal spine-posterior maxillary point; p < 0.05) and maxillary basal sagittal length (A point-posterior maxillary point; p < 0.05), and a better jaw relationship (A point-nasion-B point angle; p < 0.05) than groups 2, 3, and 4. Group 2 had higher anterior facial height (anterior nasal spine-nasion, anterior nasal spine-menton, nasion-menton; p < 0.05) and posterior facial height (registration point-posterior maxillary point; p < 0.05) than groups 3 and 4. Groups 2 and 3 had better maxillary position (sella-pterygomaxillary fissure; p < 0.05) and deeper bony pharynx (basion-posterior maxillary point; p < 0.05) than group 4.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients aged 7 to 8 years with unilateral complete cleft lip, palate, and alveolus, both one- and two-stage palatoplasty inhibited maxillary sagittal growth. Vomer flap repair with denuded bone inhibited maxillary vertical growth. Lip adhesion did adversely affect maxilla position.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, III.

Early or delayed palatoplasty in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate patients? A systematic review of the effects on maxillary growth

The aim of this study was to review the effects of early and late hard palate repair on maxillary growth. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, Cochrane Library CENTRAL databases, OpenGrey, Google Scholar, and Clinical Trials were searched using a PICO strategy, with terms related to unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and timing of repair. Methodological quality evaluation was carried out using the Fowkes and Fulton guidelines, and quality (or certainty) of evidence and strength of recommendations were evaluated using GRADE (grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation). Five retrospective and non-randomized studies were included in the study. Folkes and Fulton assessment showed a high risk of bias in all articles and very low levels of certainty (GRADE). The results showed conflicting findings for comparisons of the effects of timing of repair of hard palate in UCLP. Two studies presented better maxillary growth in a group operated on later (18 months after birth), two presented no differences between the results, and another presented better results in the group operated on earlier than 18 months of age. At this point, it cannot be proven or refuted that postponing hard palate surgery brings benefits for maxillary growth. Studies included in this review did not show similar conclusions. Randomized clinical trials present some ethical issues that make them difficult to perform.

Influence of vomer flap on craniofacial growth in patients with cleft lip and palate: A systematic review

The aim of this review was to evaluate the impact of the vomer flap on craniofacial growth in patients with cleft lip and palate. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA checklist and is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO - CRD42018095714). Two investigators performed the research using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases for studies published until November 2018. The focused question was 'Does the vomer flap have a lesser impact on craniofacial growth in patients with cleft lip and palate?'. A total of 13 articles was selected for this review, comparing the vomer flap technique with other flap surgery techniques. The outcomes analyzed were: facial development (primary outcome); and the growth of the maxilla and mandible, occlusion, occurrence of fistula, and speech development (secondary outcomes). It was concluded that there is no difference in impact between vomer flap and the other flap surgery techniques on craniofacial development.

Secondary alveolar bone grafting using autologous versus alloplastic material in the treatment of cleft lip and palate patients: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

A systematic review assessing autologous versus alloplastic bone for secondary alveolar bone grafting in patients with cleft lip and palate was published in 2011 and included only one randomized controlled trial comparing traditional iliac bone graft to recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rh-BMP2).

Objectives

To perform a systematic review with meta-analysis on the use of secondary alveolar bone grafting (autologous bone and rh-BMP2 graft) in order to improve bone volume and height in patients with cleft lip and palate.

Data sources

An electronic search was conducted via PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CONTROL) via Cochrane Library, EMBASE via Ovid, and LILAC for studies published between January 2008 and September 2018. The systematic review registration number at PROSPERO was 42018085858.

Eligibility criteria

Only RCTs were included. Inclusion criteria were patients with the diagnosis of unilateral cleft lip and palate older than 5 years of age, radiographic evaluation (CT and/or CBCT) of the cleft area, and at least a 6-month follow-up.

Main outcome measures

Bone formation and bone height by radiographic CT evaluation (preoperatively, after 6 months and after 1 year of follow-up) and length of hospital stay were assessed.

Results

Four studies met strict inclusion criteria. Autologous bone graft showed statistically significant higher bone formation after 6-month follow-up (MD − 14.410; 95% CI − 22.392 to − 6.428; p = 0.000). No statistically significant difference was noted after a 1-year follow-up (MD 6.227; 95% CI − 15.967 to 28.422; p = 0.582). No statistically significant difference in bone height was noted after 6-month (MD − 18.737; 95% CI − 43.560 to 6.087; p = 0.139) and 1-year follow-up (MD − 4.401; 95% CI − 30.636 to 21.834; p = 0.742). Patients who underwent rh-BMP2 graft had a statistically significant reduced hospital stay (MD − 1.146; 95% CI − 2.147 to − 0.145; p = 0.025).

Limitations

The main limitation is the high risk of bias among included studies.

Conclusion

Autologous bone and rh-BMP2 graft showed a similar effectiveness in maxillary alveolar reconstruction in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate assessing bone graft volume and height although rh-BMP2 graft showed a relative shorter length of hospital stay (high uncertainty level).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40510-018-0252-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Orofacial myofunctional evaluation in cleft lip and palate: an integrative literature review

ABSTRACT Purpose: to identify the focus of scientific publications in the field of orofacial motricity in individuals with cleft lip and palate, as well as validated protocols used in speech and language evaluation. Methods: a study conducted using the following databases: Medline, SciELO, Lilacs and Google Scholar, through keywords including: cleft palate + cleft lip + evaluation + speech therapy + stomatognathic system + speech + phonation + chewing + swallowing + breathing + validation studies, in Portuguese and English. Results: a total of 572 articles that addressed the evaluation of the stomatognathic system was selected. The articles were published between 2012 and 2017, and examined for year of publication, subject area, focus, instrument used for evaluation, and type of study. Of these, 90 articles met the inclusion criteria, but only 5 used validated protocols. The greatest number of articles was published in 2014. The studies covered broad age groups, using subjective and objective methods, and instruments were often non-standardized. Conclusion: speech was the prevalent theme, while other orofacial functions were poorly investigated, demonstrating that studies with other approaches were lacking.

Two Methods of Cleft Palate Repair in Patients With Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to compare the surgical outcome between 2 patient groups with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate who underwent different types of palatoplasty.

METHODS

This is a cohort study between 2 groups of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate who were operated using different surgical techniques from 2008 to 2011. About 28 patients were operated using a primary lip nose repair with vomer flap for hard palate single-layer closure and delayed soft palate repair (modified Oslo protocol) and 32 patients were operated using our protocol in Lima. Data collection was accomplished by evaluation of symptomatic oronasal fistulas, presence of velopharyngeal insufficiency and evaluation of dental arch relationships (scored using the 5-year-olds' index).

RESULTS

Our comparative study observed statistically significant differences between the 2 groups regarding the presence of oronasal fistulas and velopharyngeal insufficiency in favor of our palatoplasty technique. A statistically significant difference was not found in functional vestibular oronasal fistula development between the studied techniques for unilateral cleft palate repair. This comparative study did not observe significant differences in dental arch relationships between the studied techniques.

CONCLUSION

In this study, better surgical outcome than modified Oslo protocol regarding oronasal fistulas and velopharyngeal insufficiency on patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate was observed. The results arising from this study do not provide evidence that one technique is enough to obtain better functional closure of the alveolar cleft and dental arch relationship at 5 years.

Maxillary Growth in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients, With and Without Vomerine Flap Closure of the Hard Palate at the Time of Lip Repair: A Retrospective Analysis of Prospectively Collected Nonrandomized Data, With 10-Year Cephalometric Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To assess the midterm effect on maxillary growth of vomerine flap (VF) closure of the hard palate, at the time of lip repair.

DESIGN

A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected nonrandomized data.

INTERVENTIONS

Consecutive participants with a unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) were operated on, at 3 months of age, by the same surgeon. They were divided into 2 groups, those who had a VF and those who did not (non-VF).

SETTING

Participants were treated at 2 hospitals in the United Kingdom.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-eight participants in the VF group and 24 participants in the non-VF group attended follow-up at 10 years of age.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Standardized lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken at 10 years. Following tracing and digitization, parameters to assess the maxillary growth were analyzed.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found in the anterior-posterior or vertical skeletal cephalometric parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study support the statement that VF repair does not significantly affect maxillary growth in patients with a UCLP, when assessed cephalometrically at 10 years of age. It should be noted that at this age, growth is not yet complete.

The Scandcleft randomised trials of primary surgery for unilateral cleft lip and palate: 11. What next?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Longstanding uncertainty surrounds the selection of surgical protocols for unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), and randomised trials have only occasionally been performed. The Scandcleft Project consists of three trials initiated in 1997. The results at age 5 have been published in the series of reports that precede this manuscript, which aims to distill some of the issues that future trialists may need to address.

METHOD

The shared experience of this group of trials is reviewed with reference to the current literature on trial management and, more specifically, trials of surgical technique and timing.

RESULTS

The main discussion points relate to the challenges associated with research bureaucracy, learning curve, individuality of skill, and ethics.

CONCLUSIONS

Compliance with current regulatory requirements for clinical trials and recruitment rates for cleft sub-types represent substantial challenges. Mastery of new surgical techniques prior to trials raises important ethical issues, although recent reports in the wider surgical literature suggest that learning may be hastened with the assistance of anonymised peer review ratings of intraoperative performance. The three Scandcleft Trials succeeded in meeting the planned recruitment targets, and completed follow-up with remarkably high retention rates (99.3%). The design of the study required the majority of participating surgeons to master a new technique and, although overall outcomes were comparable with those in the literature, the associated learning curve increased postoperative complications in two of the trials.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN29932826.

Electromyographic analysis of superior orbicularis oris muscle function in children surgically treated for unilateral complete cleft lip and palate

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to assess the electrical activity of the superior orbicularis oris muscle in children surgically treated for unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCCLP).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The sample comprised 45 patients 6.38-12.68 years of age with UCCLP and 40 subjects 6.61-11.71 years of age with no clefts. Electromyographical (EMG) recordings were taken with a DAB-Bluetooth Instrument (Zebris Medical GmbH, Germany) in the rest position and during saliva swallowing, lip protrusion and reciprocal compression of the lips, as well as while producing the phonemes /p/, /b/, and /m/ combined with the vowel /a/.

RESULTS

The electrical activity of the upper lip during saliva swallowing and lip compression was significantly greater in the cleft group. Similar resting level activity was observed in both groups. During the production of the /p/, /b/, and /m/ phonemes combined with the vowel /a/ the results showed no significant differences in the EMG activity between children with UCCLP and noncleft subjects.

CONCLUSION

Patients with UCCLP have abnormal upper lip function characterized by increased activity of the superior orbicularis oris muscle during saliva swallowing and lip compression, and this may affect facial morphology.

Assessment of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate patients: Determination of factors effecting dental arch relationships

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the current study was to assess the treatment outcome of non-syndromic patients having complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (CUCLP) by using GOSLON index and to determine any association of pre and/or postnatal factors with the treatment outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and one sets of dental models of patients having CUCLP were assessed in this retrospective study. Five examiners that were blinded to case-specific information scored the dental models at two instances with an interval of two weeks to ensure memory bias elimination (5 × 101 × 2 = 1010 observations). Calibration courses were conducted prior to scoring and each examiner was provided with scoring sheets, pictures of GOSLON reference models and flowcharts explaining the scoring method.

RESULTS

According to GOSLON index, a mean (SD) GOSLON score of 3.04 (1.25) was determined. Based on treatment outcome groups, 62 patients had favorable (grade 1, 2, and 3) and 39 cases had unfavorable (grade 4 and 5) treatment outcome. Chi-square tests revealed a significant association of gender (P = 0.002), cheiloplasty (P = 0.001) and palatoplasty (P < 0.001) with the treatment outcome. These associations were further explored by entering five independent variables in the logistic regression models.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study found an intermediate treatment outcome of CUCLP cases using GOSLON index. Final logistic model showed that gender, cheiloplasty, and palatoplasty had significantly higher odds of influencing outcomes. Identification of these factors provides us an evidence of traditional and outdated surgical methods and encourages clinicians to adopt current techniques to improve treatment outcomes. This implementation will facilitate comparison between the traditional and current techniques of primary surgical repair.