Primary Cleft Repair in Adult Patients with Untreated Cleft Lip and Palate Deformity

Abstract

Background: Referring cleft patients to a specialized medical center at the earliest possible time after birth provides the best outcome and minimizes possible complications. For diversity of economic and social factors, some patients may not receive the adequate care and surgical repair at the proper time and present late in adulthood with totally or partially unrepaired clefts. Patients and Methods: Patients with untreated primary cleft deformity older than 16 years, who were treated at the Department of Plastic Surgery - Sohag University, in the period between 2009 and 2019, were retrospectively reviewed. The assessment included evaluation of demographic data (age at first consultation and sex distribution), type and laterality of cleft, patients' social and educational status, and previous cleft surgeries. Patients’ satisfaction following surgery was also assessed.Results: All adult patients with untreated primary cleft deformity in this study were males, unilateral cleft lip and palate was the commonest deformity. Majority of patients had no education. Marriage was the main motive for having surgery done. All patients were moderately to highly satisfied with surgical outcomes.Conclusions: Although uncommon nowadays, unrepaired primary cleft deformity in adults can still be seldom reported in some patients especially in lower socioeconomic classes. Surgical repair is more challenging and need more radical solutions, but it achieves good satisfaction in all patients.