Longitudinal Morphological Changes in the Mucosal Free Margin After Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair

Weakness of the mucosal free margin is common in secondary cleft lip deformities. However, the incidence is rarely reported after a long-term follow-up. We evaluated the evolution of patient mucosal free margin after primary repair and until the end of growth.

Blinded retrospective study (photography and chart reviews).

Tertiary care hospital; private practice.

Forty-eight patients with unilateral cleft lip with or without cleft palate who underwent primary nasolabial repair between 1996 and 2004 were followed up until their end of growth marked at 18 and 16 years of age for male and female patients, respectively.

Primary nasolabial repair using a straight-line closure without a triangular flap on the vermilion was performed; if needed, a revision surgery was performed at 5 years of age (85%).

The contour of the mucosal free margin was classified into nodular, smooth, and recessed types at 1, 5, and 10 years and at the end of growth.

At 1 year of age, the nodular type was more common (58%). However, the recessed type was more common (75%) at the end of growth. The mucosal free margin continued to change after 10 years of age. At the end of growth, half of the patients with incomplete cleft experienced center weakness, and the others had cleft-side weaknesses.

Patients with incomplete clefts showed favorable results at early ages. However, two-thirds of the patients with complete and incomplete clefts showed focal weakness at the end of growth.