Case Study in Infants with Cleft Lip and Palate Who Attended the Fundación Operación Sonrisa Consultation in The Period 2015-2019

Abstract

Cleft lips and palate are considered congenital craniofacial malformations originating in the early stage of embryo development, due to an incomplete fusion of the medial nasal processes and maxillary processes. A multidisciplinary team is required to carry out the ideal treatment for these childhood patients. Aims: The objective of this study was meant to describe the casuistry of patients with cleft lip and palate in infants who attended the Operation Smile Venezuela Foundation in the period from 2015 to 2019. Subjects and Method: This was a non-experimental and descriptive field research. The sample included medical records from patients with cleft lip and palate that were attended since 2015 to 2019, having in account exclusion and inclusion criteria. A questionnaire was used as an instrument through the Google Form application with 34 closed questions of dichotomous answers. The variables studied were epidemiological characteristics such as: age, gender and origin, also we analyzed types of clefts lip and palate and whether they obtained surgical resolution or not, which were collected and evaluated according to our type of research and the objectives. Results: 618 medical records were analyzed, with an average of showing a prevalence in preschool age ( 40%) , followed by minor infants ( 29%) and the age with less prevalence was newborns (1%). In terms of gender there was an almost equal distribution, males (58%) and females (42%). Geographically there was a predominance in the Capital District (20%), Miranda (15%), Aragua (13%) and Monagas (12%) during the period studied. But states such as Amazonas, Barinas, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Lara and Nueva Esparta had the lowest percentage (0%). Of the cleft lip the most prevalent was the Complete left Unilateral, followed by the Incomplete Left Unilateral and the Complete Bilateral cleft lip. The Complete Bilateral and the Hard and Soft Posterior Palate Cleft were the most common. Conclusions: It is essential to determine the epidemiological variants, as well as to know the etiology of the cleft lip alveolus palatal and how to prevent them. Likewise, through this work, the activity that Operation Smile Venezuela Foundation carried out day by day is made known.