Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Method of Studying Palatal Fusion using Static Organ Culture
Published on: September 19, 2015
Early surgical outcomes in 5-year-old patients with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate
Insights
Surgical outcomes for repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate in 5-year-olds were assessed using study models. Most outcomes were good, though collecting models proved challenging due to patient cooperation.
Area of Science:
- Craniofacial surgery
- Pediatric plastic surgery
- Dental aesthetics
Background:
- Unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) repair requires precise surgical technique.
- Long-term outcomes in pediatric UCLP patients are crucial for functional and aesthetic results.
- Assessing surgical outcomes in young children presents unique challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the surgical outcomes of 5-year-old subjects with repaired UCLP.
- To assess the reliability of study models for outcome evaluation in this age group.
- To determine the feasibility of collecting adequate study models for outcome assessment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective consecutive outcome study of UCLP patients operated on by a single surgeon.
- Study models from 5-year-olds (born 1992-1998) were collected and assessed using the 5-Year-Olds' Index.
- Inter- and intra-examiner reliability was assessed using weighted kappa statistics and components of variance.
Main Results:
- Study models were obtained for 30 out of 43 eligible patients; poor cooperation was the main reason for failure.
- Over 50% of assessed models indicated good surgical outcomes (Index groups 1 and 2).
- Fewer than 20% of models indicated poor outcomes (Index groups 4 and 5), with good agreement among examiners and with a gold standard.
Conclusions:
- Study model collection in 5-year-old UCLP patients can be challenging due to cooperation issues.
- Despite collection difficulties, study models can provide reliable data on surgical outcomes.
- The surgical outcomes in this cohort appear generally favorable.
Objective:
To assess the surgical outcome of 5-year-old subjects with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate who had been operated on by a single surgeon.
Design:
Retrospective consecutive outcome study.
Setting:
The cleft lip and palate center at Frenchay Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust, U.K.
Participants:
All patients born with unilateral cleft lip and palate between May 1992 and April 1998 were identified and their study models were located.
Main Outcome Measures:
The reasons for failing to obtain study models were recorded. The "test" study models were combined randomly with a "gold standard" set of study models to give a group of 53 for assessment purposes. These study models were assessed twice by two examiners independently using the 5-Year-Olds' Index. The weighted kappa (kappa) statistic and components of variance were used to establish the levels of agreement within and between examiners, as well as between the gold standard and the examiners.
Results:
Thirty sets of study models out of a possible 43 were located. The most common reason for not obtaining records was poor cooperation. More than 50% of study models were assessed as being good outcomes (Index groups 1 and 2), whereas fewer than 20% of the records were evaluated as being poor outcomes (Index groups 4 and 5). There was good inter- and intraexaminer agreement and agreement with the gold standard values.
Conclusion:
Study model collection in this age group can be difficult due to patient cooperation.
