[Bilateral cleft lip and palate: experience from a center with a multidisciplinary approach]

The aim of this work is to analyse the global experience of a center where a pluridisciplinar approach of the child affected with a cleft lip and palate is regularly done. Since january 1980 until january 2000, a total of 36 children (8 F, 28 M) with bilateral cleft lip and palate were treated. Only 5 children were born at this hospital. The others (n = 31) were referred soon after birth (24/31) or later for treat sequels. A multidisciplinary team evaluated every case. The parameters analysed were: surgical protocol, aesthetic and speech outcome, hearing disturbance, complications and the number of secondary lip surgeries. Surgical approach consisted on a soft palate closure before 3 months follow by a bilateral cheiloplasty (6 months) and a hard palate closure before 4 years of age, in the majority of cases (24/36). The esthetical result was evaluated in 25 children and was acceptable in the great majority (22/25). 16 children were submitted to tympanic draining in order to treat their secretory otitis. Speech outcome was analysed in 27 children and was good in 23. With a follow-up of 8.4 years, 15 children (8 treated soon on this center and 7 that came for their sequels) were treated for complications. There was a media of 4.5 surgeries per children.