What is the Role of Midfacial Sutures in the Development of Maxillary Hypoplasia in Children With Cleft Palate?

Abstract

Maxillary hypoplasia is common in patients with cleft lip and palate (CL/P), and its etiology is incompletely understood. The purpose of this study is to evaluate facial suture patency in patients with CL/P and maxillary hypoplasia. The authors hypothesize that patients with CL/P will demonstrate higher rates of premature midfacial suture fusion in comparison to unaffected controls. Skeletally mature patients with CL/P and midface hypoplasia were identified, along with a cohort of unaffected age- and sex-matched controls. High-resolution facial computed tomography scans were evaluated for the presence of facial suture fusion. Utilizing a previously published suture fusion grading scale, the facial sutures were classified as open, partially open, closed, or pathologically absent. Thirty-one CL/P patients with midface hypoplasia were identified, with age and sex-matched controls. The frequency of intermaxillary suture fusion did not differ between patients with CL/P and unaffected controls (P > 0.05.) Pathologic absence of the midpalatal suture was more commonly present in patients with CL/ P and midface hypoplasia in comparison to unaffected controls (P < 0.05.) The role of midfacial sutures in the development of midfacial hypoplasia seen in CLP has not previously been studied or described. Our data show that the midpalatal suture is frequently pathologically absent in patients with CL/P and maxillary hypoplasia. The authors did not identify statistically significant differences in other midfacial sutures between patients with CL/P and controls, leading us to conclude that midfacial sutures may not play a key role in the development of midfacial hypoplasia.