The anthropometric verification of corrective surgery outcome in cleft secondary deformities

An anthropometric measurement serves as both an objective assessment and a description of shape and size. Gypsum casts were used for the measurement, along with a statistical evaluation of results, to compare the appearance of patients with a complete unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate prior to corrective surgery of their secondary deformity and following this intervention. The evaluated approach was our own modification of rhinoplasty and lip correction, using the remodeling and extension of soft tissues envelope by a skin flap. That is formed from a lip scar after primary reconstruction. Both data of the studied group (n = 49), pre- and postoperative, were compared to a control group of healthy individuals (k = 19), thereby allowing the original severity of the deformity and the morphologic change after surgery to be objectively assessed. Upon correlation to healthy volunteers, we proved that the effect of surgery shifted the monitored parameters into a range found in the normal population. An anthropometric measurement on gypsum casts appeared to be simple, easy to perform, precise, easy to repeat, inexpensive, and yet of a three-dimensional nature with no burden for the patient. It is suitable for verifying the effects of new therapeutic procedures.