Presurgical Orthopedics Research Articles

Pre-directional appliance: A new approach to correct shifted premaxilla in bilateral cleft cases

Management of bilateral cleft lip and palate cases is a challenging task, and if the premaxilla is shifted to either side, it poses a problem for the surgeon to operate and also for the orthodontist to do the orthodontic alignment. The aim of this study was to reposition the shifted premaxilla for better retraction with presurgical infant orthopedics, thus reducing the tissue tension and further scarring which have detrimental effects on maxillary growth. The innovative technique with pre-directional (PD) appliance is easy to fabricate and use and works in this direction. Acrylic, springs, permasoft liner, elastics, retentive tapes. Previous approach for the shifted premaxilla was more focused on the surgical correction. In adults, surgery with osteotomy is the only option, with its own limitations and disadvantages, in repositioning the shifted premaxilla. Thus, PD appliance aids to correct the shifted premaxilla in presurgical molding stage. The premaxilla was thus shifted 5.5 mm to the left side, with premaxilla in facial symmetry, with the PD appliance. Presurgical orthopedics with PD appliance is worth in infants with shifted premaxilla in bilateral clefts cases.

Sagittal maxillary growth in children with unilateral cleft of the lip, alveolus and palate at the age of 10 years: An intercentre comparison

Objective Aim of this intercentre study was to compare sagittal facial growth in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate treated with different surgical protocols. A first evaluation had been carried out at the age of 6 years, now the patients have been re-evaluated at the age of 10 years. Material and method 22 patients had been analyzed in centre 1, 32 patients in centre 2. All patients had presurgical orthopaedics. Centre 1 had lip repair at the age of 3 months and one-stage palatal closure with 1 year. Centre 2 had lip repair with 6 months, soft palate repair at 12 and hard palate repair at the age of 30 months. Sagittal growth was evaluated on lateral cephalograms. As control, data of 35 non-cleft children were used. Statistical analysis was carried out with student’s t-test, multiple comparisons with Bonferroni. Results There was considerably normal sagittal facial growth in centre 1, with tendency of forward growth of the mandible. In centre 2 there was a slight decrease in sagittal maxillary and mandibular growth with unchanged intergnathic relation. There was no statistically significant difference in sagittal growth between the centres. A re-evaluation has to be carried out after the final growth spurt.

MODELAGEM NASAL EM PACIENTE PORTADOR DE FISSURA LABIOPALATINA UNILATERAL DIREITA: RELATO DE CASO

The cleft side of the nose in babies born with unilateral cleft lip and palate has a typical appearance, with a flattened nasal ala, poorly defined tip and alar base depression. The side affected is longer than the non-cleft side, and the columella and the septum have variable degrees of deviation. Some factors contribute to these deformities, such as the deviation of osteocartilaginous nose structures, the morphology of the alar cartilage, and the cleft width, which may change before surgery when treated with presurgical orthopedics and nasal modeling. The physiological basis for alar cartilage modeling in newborn patients is the effect of estrogen on different body structures, which grants elasticity and plasticity to maxillary and alar cartilage segments. Nasal modeling is a technique that has good esthetic results and decreases the complexity of primary surgeries. This study describes a simplified technique to manufacture a nasal molding device (NMD) and a case of NMD use.

A status report on management of cleft lip and palate in India

Introduction:This national survey on the management of cleft lip and palate (CLP) in India is the first of its kind.Objective:To collect basic data on the management of patients with CLP in India for further evaluation.Materials and Methods:A proforma was designed and sent to all the surgeons treating CLP in India. It was publicized through internet, emails, post and through personal communication.Subjects:293 cleft surgeons representing 112 centers responded to the questionnaire. Most of the forms were filled up by personal interview.Results:The cleft workload of the participating centers is between 10 and 2000 surgeries annually. These centers collectively perform 32,500–34,700 primary and secondary cleft surgeries every year. The responses were analyzed using Microsoft excel and 112 as the sample size. Most surgeons are repairing cleft lip between 3-6 months and cleft palate between 6 months to 1 year. Millard and Tennison repairs form the mainstay of lip repair. Multiple techniques are used for palate repair. Presurgical orthopedics, lip adhesion, nasendoscopy, speech therapy, video-fluoroscopy and orthognathic surgery were not always available and in some cases not availed of even when available.Conclusion:Management of CLP differs in India. Primary surgical practices are almost similar to other studies. There is a lack of interdisciplinary approach in majority of the centers, and hence, there is a need for better interaction amongst the specialists. A more comprehensive study with an improved questionnaire would be desirable.

A status report on management of cleft lip and palate in India

ABSTRACT Introduction: This national survey on the management of cleft lip and palate (CLP) in India is the first of its kind. Objective: To collect basic data on the management of patients with CLP in India for further evaluation. Materials and Methods: A proforma was designed and sent to all the surgeons treating CLP in India. It was publicized through internet, emails, post and through personal communication. Subjects: 293 cleft surgeons representing 112 centers responded to the questionnaire. Most of the forms were filled up by personal interview. Results: The cleft workload of the participating centers is between 10 and 2000 surgeries annually. These centers collectively perform 32,500–34,700 primary and secondary cleft surgeries every year. The responses were analyzed using Microsoft excel and 112 as the sample size. Most surgeons are repairing cleft lip between 3-6 months and cleft palate between 6 months to 1 year. Millard and Tennison repairs form the mainstay of lip repair. Multiple techniques are used for palate repair. Presurgical orthopedics, lip adhesion, nasendoscopy, speech therapy, video-fluoroscopy and orthognathic surgery were not always available and in some cases not availed of even when available. Conclusion: Management of CLP differs in India. Primary surgical practices are almost similar to other studies. There is a lack of interdisciplinary approach in majority of the centers, and hence, there is a need for better interaction amongst the specialists. A more comprehensive study with an improved questionnaire would be desirable.

The Need for Orthognathic Surgery in Patients with Repaired Complete Unilateral and Complete Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

To determine the percentage of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and complete bilateral cleft lip and palate treated at SickKids since birth who would benefit from orthognathic surgery. Retrospective cohort study. The review comprised records of 258 patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and 149 patients with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate born from 1960 to 1989. Of these, 211 and 129 patients, respectively, had been treated at SickKids since birth. Patients with syndromes or associated anomalies were excluded. Patients who had undergone orthognathic surgery were recorded. For the remaining patients, arbitrarily set cephalometric criteria were used in order to identify the "objective" need for surgery. Lateral cephalometric radiographs taken beyond the age of 15 years were digitized using Dentofacial Planner cephalometric software. Of the 211 patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate, 102 (48.3%) were deemed to benefit from orthognathic surgery. For the complete bilateral cleft lip and palate sample, the percentage was 65.1% (84 of 129). Definitive information on presurgical orthopedics was available for a small subsample (101 patients) of the complete unilateral cleft lip and palate cohort. The need for orthognathic surgery for this group was slightly higher (59.4%, or 60 of 101). These results suggest that a considerable percentage of patients with a history of complete cleft lip and palate at our institution require orthognathic surgery. Factors that need to be considered in the interpretation of these results include the quest for improvement in the profile aesthetics; the fact that the Canadian health care system covers the costs of surgery, making it more accessible to the patients; and the inclusion in the above figures of patients who had orthognathic surgery solely for reasons of closure of previously ungrafted alveolar clefts and associated fistulae.

Impressions in Cleft Lip and Palate – A Novel Two Stage Technique

Though the field of presurgical orthopedics for the management of children with cleft Lip and Palate (CLAP) has made great advances over the past few decades, little is found in literature regarding the imressions required to fabricate these appliances. The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel two stage technique utilizing greenstick compound and addition silicone impression material to provide a safe, economical and accurate method for recording impressions in children with cleft lip and palate.

Cleft palate habilitation

Presurgical Orthopaedics is any treatment that alters the position of the segments of cleft maxilla in infancy prior to lip and palate reconstruction. There are different approaches, with different mechanics, seeking and achieving different end results. This article describes PNAM, a current approach to the traditional method of presurgical infant orthopaedics for patients with unilateral and bilateral clefts of lip and palate. The goal of PNAM is to align and approximate the alveolar cleft segments while at the same time achieving correction of nasal cartilage and soft tissue deformity.

Current Surgical Practices in Cleft Care: Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair

The purpose of this study was to report objectively on practice trends in unilateral cleft lip repair in the United States and Canada. This study details current technique preferences, modifications, and adjunct procedure use. All surgeons in the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons (n = 1138) were mailed a survey inquiring about their management of unilateral cleft lip. Responses were received from 622 surgeons (55 percent response rate), of whom 269 currently perform cleft surgery. The results arise from this group of 269 active cleft surgeons. Eight-four percent of surgeons perform rotation advancement for complete unilateral cleft lip repair. Nine percent perform a variation of the triangular flap repair. Among those using rotation advancement, 45 percent use a modified technique. The most common modifications are the Noordhoff vermilion flap, the Mohler modification, and the Onizuka triangular advancement flap. Surgeons rarely use more than one technique in their practice, and 86 percent use the same repair for every unilateral cleft lip. Over half of surgeons routinely perform some form of primary nasal correction. Lip adhesion, presurgical orthopedics, nasoalveolar molding, and postoperative nasal stenting are performed by limited numbers of respondents, and the use of these surgical adjuncts is discussed. Rotation advancement remains the most frequently used technique for unilateral cleft lip repair. However, almost half of those using rotation advancement perform a modification to the original technique. Surgeons should be familiar with both the rotation advancement repair and its common modifications. Among adjunct procedures, only primary nasal correction currently garners widespread use.

Presurgical Orthopedics and Satisfaction in Motherhood: A Randomized Clinical Trial (dutchcleft)

To study the effect of infant orthopedics on satisfaction in motherhood. Prospective two-arm randomized controlled trial in parallel with three participating academic cleft palate centers. Treatment allocation was concealed and was performed by means of a computerized balanced allocation method. Cleft palate centers of Amsterdam, Nijmegen, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Two groups of infants with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and no other malformations. Group IO+ (n = 27) wore passive maxillary plates during the first year of life, group IO- (n = 27) did not. Mean satisfaction scores were obtained from completed questionnaires at 6, 24, and 58 weeks of age. A 4-point scale was used (1 = very satisfactory to 4 = very unsatisfactory). The range of the mean scores for the individual items on the questionnaires for both groups ranged between 1.1 and 2.4. No differences were found between groups. Mothers appear to be satisfied in motherhood, least satisfied with the available time for themselves, and very satisfied with hugging and walking their babies. No differences were found between groups. Results from the present study show that infant orthopedics, with a passive plate during the first year of life, in children with a unilateral cleft lip and palate has no influence on the mothers' satisfaction in motherhood.

A Rapid Solution to Align the Severely Malpositioned Premaxilla in Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients

To describe a laboratory modification of the maxillary cast to make an improved nasoalveolar molding plate used in presurgical orthopedics for infants with bilateral cleft lip and palate. Modifying the nasoalveolar molding plate may reduce the presurgical treatment time for the bilateral cleft lip and palate patient.

Sagittal growth of the facial skeleton of 6-year-old children with a complete unilateral cleft of lip, alveolus and palate treated with two different protocols

The purpose of the study was to compare sagittal growth of the facial skeleton of 6-year-old children treated in two cleft centres with different surgical protocols. Each group consisted of 20 consecutive non-syndromic children with complete unilateral cleft lip, alveolus and palate. They all had presurgical orthopaedics with a passive plate and external strapping until lip repair. Centre 1 had lip repair at the age of 3 months and one stage palatal closure at the age of 1 year. Closure of the alveolar cleft was planned at 9 years with bone grafting. In centre 2 lip repair was performed at the age of 6 months, soft palate repair at 12 months and hard palate repair together with mucoperiosteal closure of the alveolar cleft at the age of 30 months. At the time of investigation, the children from both centres had not received any postoperative orthodontic treatment. Sagittal growth was evaluated on lateral cephalograms using the angles SNA, SNB, ANB and SNPg. For control, Droschl standards were used. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in SNA, SNB, ANB and SNPg between the centres at the age of 6 years. There were no children with a class III jaw relationship. The sagittal dimensions were close to the values of non-cleft control persons (Droschl standards). There was considerable similar sagittal growth of the facial skeleton in both centres which has not been affected by the different surgical protocols so far. A final evaluation should be delayed until the growth of the facial skeleton is complete.

Experience with Presurgical Nasal Molding in Infants with Cleft Lip and Nose Deformity

Nasal deformity in infants with nasolabial clefts persists if it is not actively corrected. Some surgeons repair the nose simultaneously with the lip. Nonsurgical nasal molding with mechanical support performed in the early neonatal period has proved to be an effective alternative to surgical correction. At the author's institution, for the past 4 years, infants with nasal asymmetry have been treated by presurgical nasal molding performed with a stent fixed to a conventional passive orthopedic plate. The efficiency of this method was evaluated retrospectively using photographs obtained at least 1 year after lip repair. Sixteen pairs of children were studied. One child of each pair had received the treatment with the stent, and the other one had been treated using the classic method of presurgical orthopedics with no stent; the diagnosis and remaining therapy were the same for both children. Nine maxillofacial surgeons and 22 students of dental medicine were asked to decide which nose of each pair was more symmetrical. Seventy-five percent of students and 70 percent of surgeons found that the nasal stent nose was more symmetrical than its classically treated counterpart. Statistical analysis of the results revealed highly significant agreement between the two groups of evaluators. Children who underwent presurgical treatment with a nasal stent had more symmetrical noses several years after lip repair than children treated by the classic method of preoperative orthopedics. Use of the modified appliance did not present major problems for the parents, but their cooperation is necessary. Treatment should start as soon as possible after birth, regardless of the width of the cleft.

Direct Gingivoperiosteoplasty with Palatoplasty

Gingivoperiosteoplasty creates a mucoperiosteal bridge across the alveolar cleft associated with cleft lip and palate. The subperiosteal tunnel allows for bone generation in the absence of bone grafting in young patients. The original procedure required wide maxillary subperiosteal dissection and flap rotation but has since evolved along with techniques to narrow the alveolar cleft toward limited dissection and direct closure. Multiple studies reveal superior facial growth parameters, particularly vertical maxillary growth, when compared with primary bone grafting typically performed within the first year of life and a reduced need for later secondary bone grafting. Most centers that perform gingivoperiosteoplasty do so in conjunction with primary lip closure after initial narrowing of the cleft with presurgical orthopedics. We present our method of direct gingivoperiosteoplasty performed simultaneously with palatoplasty after alveolar cleft narrowing without presurgical orthopedics via a two-stage lip repair. Preliminary data suggest bone growth capable of supporting tooth eruption without significant growth disturbances in a majority of patients treated with this protocol.

Presurgical Cleft Lip Management: Nasal Alveolar Molding

Continued advancement in the comprehensive care of children with cleft lip and palate has resulted in numerous innovative treatment protocols. The cooperation of numerous specialties has continued to expand the options for difficult cases. A high standard for aesthetic and functional results has been established. Presurgical treatment of a cleft alveolus and its associated soft tissues with presurgical orthopedics is just one of these techniques. Differing opinions of the effectiveness, growth disturbances, and additional costs of presurgical molding are often debated, but the concepts should be understood by any cleft surgeon or orthodontist involved in cleft care.

A Randomized Control Trial Investigating the Effect of Presurgical Orthopedics on Feeding in Infants with Cleft Lip and/or Palate

To investigate the controversial assertion that presurgical orthopedics (PSO) facilitate feeding in infants with cleft lip and palate. Randomized control trial of 34 infants with nonsyndromic complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and 16 with cleft of the soft and at least two thirds of the hard palate. Allocation to receive presurgical orthopedics or not used minimization for parity and gender. Other aspects of care were standardized. The North Thames Regional Cleft Centre. Measurements were made at 3 months of age (presurgery) and at 12 months of age (postsurgery). Primary outcomes were anthropometry and oral motor skills. Objective measures of sucking also were collected at 3 months using the Great Ormond Street Measure of Infant Feeding. Twenty-one infants also had videofluoroscopic assessment. At 1 year, all infants had normal oral motor skills and no clear pattern of anthropometric differences emerged. For both cleft groups, infants randomized to presurgical orthopedics were, on average, shorter. The presurgical orthopedics infants were, on average, lighter in the unilateral cleft and lip palate group, but heavier in the isolated cleft palate group. Infants with complete unilateral cleft and lip palate randomized to presurgical orthopedics had lower average body mass index (mean difference PSO-No PSO: -0.45 (95% confidence interval [-1.78, 0.88]), this trend was reversed among infants with isolated cleft palates (mean difference PSO-No PSO: 1.98 [-0.95, 4.91]). None of the differences were statistically significant at either age. Presurgical orthopedics did not improve feeding efficiency or general body growth within the first year in either group of infants.

Infant Orthopedics Has No Effect on Maxillary Arch Dimensions in the Deciduous Dentition of Children with Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (Dutchcleft)

Evaluation of the effect of infant orthopedics on maxillary arch dimensions in the deciduous dentition in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate. Prospective two-arm randomized controlled clinical trial with three participating cleft palate centers. Cleft palate centers of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Academic Center of Dentistry Amsterdam, and University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (n = 54) were included. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Half of the patients (IO+) had a presurgical orthopedic plate until surgical closure of the soft palate at the age of 52 weeks; the other half (IO-) did not undergo presurgical orthopedics. Maxillary arch dimensions were assessed on dental casts at 4 and 6 years of age with measurements for arch width, arch depth, arch length, arch form, and the vertical position of the lesser segment. Contact and collapse were assessed also. There were no clinically significant differences found between IO+ and IO- for any of the variables. Infant orthopedics had no observable effect on the maxillary arch dimensions or on the contact and collapse scores in the deciduous dentition at the ages of 4 and 6 years. Considering the Dutchcleft results to date, there is no need to perform infant orthopedics for unilateral cleft lip and palate patients.

Management of bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity

Management of bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity can be a challenging task. This paper provides an overview of bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity with an updated review of current management issues in the literature. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that orofacial clefts are now the most common birth defect. While this statistic may be disheartening, the increased prevalence brings the problem to light at the forefront of the medical community, thus gaining more support and resources. Many techniques have been described for repair of bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity. A recent advancement in presurgical orthopedics is the use of nasoalveolar molding to narrow wide clefts. Surgical management of bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity poses a challenge to the skill and judgment of the cleft surgeon. Although techniques continue to evolve over the decades, the basic principles of cleft surgery remain the same. The main principles are to achieve an appropriate philtral size and shape, to position the cartilages in a more optimal position, and to attain muscular continuity and symmetry for optimal appearance and function. Thus, while keeping the basic principles in mind, management of bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity becomes a valuable and rewarding experience for the surgeon, patient and caregiver.

Primary Rhinoplasty in Unilateral Cleft Patients: The “Limited Open” Approach and Other Technical Considerations

To validate a method of primary anatomic alar repositioning using a "limited open rhinoplasty" approach, along with cleft lip repair, without presurgical orthopedics. The cleft lip deformities were repaired using a modified Tennison technique, and primary muscle union and gingivoperiosteoplasty were achieved in all cases. The alar cartilages were visualized using an inverted "U" incision on the cleft side and a rim incision on the noncleft side, without joining the two with a transcolumellar incision. The domes of the cartilages were approximated by a single horizontal mattress suture. Thirty-five patients were operated on by this technique between March 1999 and February 2004. The patients ranged in age from 4 to 36 months (mean, 6 months). The follow-up ranged from 4 months to 4.5 years (mean, 18 months). Overall, the results for nasal shape and symmetry have been extremely good. The technique used here provides an exposure just short of an "open" rhinoplasty without scarring the columella or nasal tip. Arch alignment and a symmetric and stable bony platform are generally achieved by 2 to 3 months after the surgery. In severe cases of complete clefts, we have observed an absolute increase in alar arch length as a result of tissue stretch.

A Multicenter Outcomes Assessment of Five-Year-Old Patients with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

Compare 5-year-old dental arch relationships of patients from three centers with differing primary protocols. Retrospective study of treatment outcomes using blinded evaluation of dental study casts. Three major cleft-craniofacial centers; one (center A) is a free-standing institution, and two (centers B and C) are university hospitals. 118 (A = 41; B = 33; C = 44) consecutively treated 5-year-old patients with complete, nonsyndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate. Centers A and C completed primary repair without presurgical orthopedics by 18 months (center A in three surgeries and center C in two surgeries). Center B used passive presurgical orthopedics with lip/soft palate repair at 6 months and gingivo-alveoloplasty/hard palate repair at 18 to 36 months. Averaged ratings of dental casts using the 5-year yardstick were computed for each patient. The Wilcoxon two-sample test was used to compare means; a chi-square test was used to compare distributions. Intra- and interexaminer reliability tests showed excellent reliability (>.90). Mean scores were not significantly different. Distribution of scores differed significantly. Center A had the highest percentage of good scores and the lowest percentage of poor scores (72% versus 6.5%), followed by center B (63% versus 6.6%) and center C (59% versus 16.3%). Centers A and B had comparable scores and completely different protocols in surgical technique, timing, sequencing, and nonuse/use of appliances. Center C's results were slightly lower than those of 1 and 3, but the center had the protocol with the least burden of treatment (only two surgeries, without use of appliances).