CLEFT PALATE-CRANIOFACIAL JOURNAL

Parental Experiences on Learning About and Caring for Children with Cleft Lip and Palate: A Qualitative Study from South India
Kumar S, Mohanraj R, Vaidhyalingam T, Chakkaravarthi S and Thiruvenkatachari B
The study aimed to understand parents' reactions to cleft, the manner in which they learned about its presence, and the challenges they faced in caring for their child with a view to providing healthcare professionals insights toward enhancing care delivery.
A Rare Case of Mydriasis as an Immediate Complication After Orthognathic Surgery in a Patient with Cleft Lip and Palate
Silveira ITTD, Barcellos BM, Duarte BG, Mello MAB, Leite F and Yaedú RYF
This study aims to report a rare complication, anisocoria (mydriasis), in a patient with cleft lip and palate in the immediate postoperative period after orthognathic surgery and discuss the literature surrounding this event. Mydriasis after orthognathic surgery may be related to the separation of the pterygoid plate from the sphenoid bone, which can injure the cranial nerves. Therefore, knowledge of possible anatomical variations of the posterior region of the maxilla becomes extremely important to minimize complications in cleft patients. The reported case highlights the management of anisocoria as a complication as well as the importance of its knowledge.
Healthcare Trajectories of Adolescent Patients With Cleft Lip and/or Palate According to Health Insurance Coverage in Medellin, Colombia
Cerón-Zapata AM, Segura-Cardona ÁM and González-Robledo MC
To describe and compare the healthcare trajectories of patients with CL/P under two different income-based programs for health coverage in Colombia, known in Colombia as a health insurance regime (contributory and subsidized), in Medellín, 2021. Non-experimental, cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Primary level of clinical care in Medellín, Colombia. Twenty-eight 15- to 21-year-olds with CL/P and primary caregivers. Individuals with CL/P answered the survey. Patients with syndromic CL/P and patients with cognitive disabilities were excluded. The calculation of the probabilistic sample was performed based on the formula for finite populations using databases from 2 health insurance companies. The analysis was descriptive and bivariate. Chi-square and Fisher tests were used to analyze the variables of interest. Continuity of the care pathway was measured with proxy indicators: (1) access to comprehensive CL/P treatment; (2) timeliness of access to comprehensive CL/P treatment; (3) differences in access to and timeliness of comprehensive CL/P treatment between patients under both health insurance coverage. No differences were found when comparing the healthcare trajectories of young patients with CL/P who were in both health coverage. Differences were observed in the timeliness of care for patients with CL/P under the subsidized coverage who were more economically vulnerable. Delays in care were mainly linked to administrative procedures required for orthodontic procedures, bone grafts, and maxillofacial surgeries. Despite the health system's guarantee of equal care across income levels, differences in the timeliness of care persist for patients from lower-income families.
Information Needs of Australian Families Living with Craniosynostosis: A Qualitative Study
Osborn AJ, Roberts RM and Dorstyn DS
Craniosynostosis is considered a lifelong condition, yet relatively little focus has been directed toward ascertaining the information needs of Australian families. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the information needs of Australian parents whose child has been diagnosed with nonsyndromic or syndromic craniosynostosis.
Outcomes of Palatal Fistula Closure with Tongue Flap Using a Parachute Technique
Khalili N, Hassanpour SE and Rouientan A
To evaluate the efficacy of tongue flaps in closing large palatal fistulas secondary to cleft palate repair in terms of functionality, esthetics, and donor site morbidity.
Factors Influencing Nasoalveolar Molding Treatment Completion and Noncompletion in Infants with Cleft Lip and Palate
Herrman EI, Dierkhising RA, Lee SK, Salinas TJ, Sarvas EW, Viozzi CF and Muller OM
Identify sociodemographic factors and comorbidities predictive of nasoalveolar molding (NAM) treatment completion and noncompletion in infants with cleft lip with or without (+/-) cleft palate in a rural-suburban population.
Patterns of Congenital Tooth Agenesis and Crown Width in Patients with Alveolar Clefts in Guizhou, China: A Retrospective Study
Liang S, Wen Y, Wang F, Shu X, Yang J, Qiu Y and Song Q
This study aimed to investigate the prevalent pattern of congenital tooth agenesis and the development of crown width in patients with alveolar clefts in Guizhou, China.
Premaxillary Setback in the Management of Patients With Bilateral Cleft Lip: A 2 Decade Review
Jolibois MI, Lasky S, Stanton EW, Roohani I, Moshal T, Foster L, Husain F, Munabi NC, Urata MM, Magee WP and Hammoudeh JA
This study analyzes indications and outcomes of premaxillary setback (PS) and presents an algorithm for its use in patients with bilateral cleft lip and/or palate (BCL ± P).
Alveolar Bone Graft Supplemented With Stromal Vascular Fraction in Patients With Permanent Dentition: A Randomized Study
Kurimori KT, Bastos EO, Camara PRP, Mascarenhas Dias B, Uyeda GL and Alonso N
To evaluate bone development in patients with alveolar clefts and permanent dentition treated with alveolar bone graft supplemented with stromal vascular fraction (SVF).
Single Stage Management of a Severe Form of Grade 3 Hypertelorism With Sincipital and Basal Encephaloceles-Lessons Learnt!
Murarka A, Sharma A, Sharma A, Gupta S, Kakkar G, Kulkarni K, Dhaliwal M, Raghunathan V and Sharma M
The article elucidates the management of a case of severe form of grade III hypertelorism with an intercanthal distance of 61 mm in a 4-year-old child. The management was especially challenging because of the patient's young age, degree of hypertelorism, wide cleft and simultaneous presence of 2 big (sincipital & basal) encephaloceles and a lipoma in the midline. This paper attempts to describe the attempted surgery, postoperative course and the learnings derived from its management to probably create a road-map for surgeons faced with such a challenge in future.
Evaluation of Posterior Superior Alveolar Canal in Individuals With Cleft Lip and Palate Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Tannishtha T, Babu GS, Shetty V and Ajila V
To evaluate the posterior superior alveolar canal (PSAC) in individuals with cleft lip and palate (CLP) by comparing them with individuals with no cleft lip and palate (NC) using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Functional Units Analysis of Mandibular Morphology in Patients With Parry-Romberg Syndrome
Li X and Zhang Z
To characterize mandibular morphology in patients with Parry-Romberg syndrome (PRS).
Morphometric Evaluation of the Greater Palatine Foramen in Patients With Cleft lip and Palate (CLP) and Controls: A CBCT Study
Tabatabaei S, Paknahad M and Adab S
This study aimed to use cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans to compare the morphometric characteristics of the greater palatine foramen (GPF) in unilateral and bilateral cleft lip/palate patients (CL/P) and non-cleft (NC) individuals.
Utilization of a Perioperative Care Pathway for Pediatric Alveolar Bone Grafting: A Quality Improvement Initiative
Cawthorn TR, Baykan A, Hartley RL, Smith M, Robertson K, Hardcastle N, Spencer AO, Fraulin FOG and Harrop AR
To develop, implement, and evaluate a standardized perioperative care pathway for pediatric patients undergoing alveolar bone grafting from the anterior iliac crest.
Non-Nutritive Suck and Parent Report of Feeding Skills in Infants Born With Cleft Lip and/or Palate
Martens A, Rogers-Vizena CR and Zimmerman E
To compare non-nutritive sucking (NNS) and caregiver-reported feeding skills in infants with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) to a control group of typically developing infants without CL/P. To examine differences in NNS patterns and feeding behavior between cleft phenotypes.
Speech Outcomes in Children with Robin Sequence Treated with a Pre-Epiglottic Baton Plate
Schmidt G, Engeli N, Matuschek C, Hunn-Stohwasser C, Bestendonk C, Heiland M, Hirschfelder A and Hofmann E
To analyze speech outcomes and cleft shape changes in children diagnosed with Robin sequence (RS) treated with a customized pre-epiglottic baton plate (PEBP).
Development of an Artificial Intelligence-Based Algorithm for the Assessment of Skeletal Age and Detection of Cervical Vertebral Anomalies in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate
Kamei G, Batra P, Singh AK, Arora G and Kaushik S
To develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm for the assessment and comparison of skeletal maturation in patients with and without cleft lip and/or palate and to detect the presence of cervical vertebral anomalies (CVAs). Retrospective cohort study. A university orthodontic clinic and comprehensive cleft care centers. In total, 1080 cephalograms of patients with and without unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) aged 6 to 18 years, without any associated syndromes, congenital disorders, or history of trauma or illness, were collected. About 960 cephalograms were assessed in the study upon elimination of poor-quality lateral cephalograms. The MobileNet architecture using TensorFlow framework was employed to develop 2 convolutional neural network (CNN)-based AI models for automated assessment of skeletal age and detection of CVAs. Inter-rater reliability for manual cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) staging was assessed using Cohen's kappa coefficient, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated. The results of each model were separately analyzed using chi-square test, and the statistical significance was tested at 5% level. The CNN-based AI model yielded an average accuracy rate of 74.5%, with an accuracy of up to 88% for detecting skeletal maturity and an accuracy rate of 83% for detecting CVAs. It can be concluded that CVM methods help detect skeletal maturity objectively in patients with UCLP and have shown delayed skeletal growth compared to patients without UCLP. CVAs were found to be more prevalent in patients with UCLP than in their non-cleft counterparts, with these findings facilitated by utilizing a novel AI algorithm.
Dental Treatment Needs Among 16-Year-Old Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate: An Observational Study in Western Norway
Saele PK, Åstrøm AN and Mustafa M
This study aimed to a) assess intermaxillary sagittal relations, dental alignment, and occlusion among patients with Cleft Lip and/or Palate (CL/P) and b) evaluate the need for future dental treatment.
Genetic Variability of Polymorphisms in Non-Syndromic Cleft Lip/Palate: A Meta-Analysis Across Diverse Populations
Muruganantham JK and Veerabathiran R
Common congenital malformations known as orofacial clefts include cleft lip, cleft lip and palate, and cleft palate. They present significant public health challenges globally due to their medical, psychological, and socioeconomic impacts. Genetic and environmental factors mostly influence the genesis of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate. A meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the association between polymorphisms (rs2235371, rs2235373, and rs2235375) and NSCL/P. PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Embase were systematically searched for relevant articles. Studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria included case-control designs, genotype data, and statistical measures (odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals). Seventeen research papers were chosen based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale criteria for worth evaluation. The meta-analysis included 1809 NSCL/P cases and 3164 controls from diverse populations, including Chinese Han, Brazilian, South Indian, Northeast Chinese, Uyghur, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Mesoamerican, and Iranian groups. However, in our analysis, only specific SNPs-rs2235371 and rs2235373-showed significant associations in the allelic and dominant models, respectively, while other SNPs, including rs2235375, showed no significant association. These findings underscore the genetic heterogeneity of NSCL/P across various ethnic groups. This meta-analysis emphasizes the complex role of polymorphisms in the genetic susceptibility to NSCL/P. While significant associations were identified in several populations, the lack of association in others suggests that genetic factors contributing to NSCL/P vary widely. Further research is needed to elucidate additional genetic determinants and their interfaces with environmental factors in the pathogenesis of NSCL/P.
Type of Cleft and Socioeconomic Determinants for Increased Caries Risk Among Young Patients With Cleft Lip and/or Palate
van der Knaap-Kind LS, Wolvius EB and Kragt L
This study aimed to identify the predictive role of cleft type, ethnicity, adoption status, spoken language at home and parental education level on the caries risk in the primary dentition of patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). This knowledge is used to make an estimate on increased caries risk in young patients with CL/P. A retrospective analysis of data concerning dental caries and basic characteristics of patients with CL/P was done. Patients were born and registered in 2016, 2017, or 2018 at the cleft team of the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. After Chi-square tests, the cleft type (= .02), country of birth father (< .001), country of birth mother (= .002), parental educational level (= .006), and spoken language at home (= .002) were significantly different between 144 patients with CL/P with and without caries. Items were used in binary logistic regressions and after stepwise backward elimination resulting in most important determinants for caries in the primary dentition in patients with CL/P being: father born in another country than the Netherlands (odds ratio [OR]= 4.87, = .001), a cleft lip alveolus and palate phenotype (OR= 3.54, = .002), and a lower parental educational level (OR= 2.30, = .04). The recommendation for the dental care professional will be to use these 3 determinants as a first prediction on future dental caries. This helps the dental professional in clinical decisions as recall intervals, referral to specialized dental care and extensiveness of caries prevention strategies and thereby improves oral health of patients born with CL/P.
Impact of WHO's Surgical Safety Checklist-Based Program on Cleft-lip and Palate Repair Outcomes in LMICs-The CLEAN CLEFT Program
Alamnie G, Timo M, Arimino S, Eshete M, Gebreegziabher A, Abate F, Kebede H, Mehendale F, Ehua-Koua M, Moulot O, Bankole R, Starr N and Mammo TN
"Clean Cleft" (CC) is an adaptation of the Lifebox Clean Cut program, designed to reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) in cleft lip and palate repairs. It focuses on 6 key processes: hand and site decontamination, surgical linen integrity, instrument sterility, timely antibiotic use, gauze counting, and WHO Surgical Safety Checklist compliance. The study explores CC's effectiveness in reducing infections, other complications, and enhancing early recovery.