Preoperative anthropometric analysis of the cleft child's face: a comparison between groups

Area of Science:

• Craniofacial morphology
• Pediatric plastic surgery
• Anthropometry

Background:

• Cleft lip and palate deformities significantly impact facial development.
• Pre-operative assessment of facial morphology is crucial for surgical planning.
• Understanding baseline facial differences aids in defining the cleft syndrome.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and assess differences in facial morphology of infants with clefts before corrective surgery.
• To compare facial measurements between cleft and non-cleft infant groups.
• To propose a model illustrating facial anatomy in cleft and non-cleft individuals.

Main Methods:

• Anthropometric measurements of standard facial landmarks were taken from pre-operative plaster casts.
• Infants up to eleven months old, with and without cleft deformities, were included.
• Comparative analysis was performed between control and cleft groups.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in periorbital and mid-face measurements.
• Infants with cleft lip exhibited a wider nasal base on both cleft and non-cleft sides.
• Upper lip measurements revealed shortening, lateral deviation, and superolateral rotation in the cleft group.

Conclusions:

• Facial morphology in infants with cleft lip and palate presents specific pre-operative alterations, particularly in the nasal base and upper lip.
• A diagrammatic model is proposed to represent these anatomical differences.
• Further research is recommended to build a comprehensive database for potential redefinition of the cleft syndrome based on anthropometric data.