Standardized Method for Description of Cleft Lip and Palate Phenotypes and Its Implementation in Daily Practice:...

Area of Science:

• Craniofacial anomalies
• Congenital malformations
• Surgical diagnostics

Background:

• Cleft lip and palate are common congenital craniofacial anomalies.
• Existing classification systems for cleft lip and palate have limited clinical application.
• A comprehensive and uniform classification is needed for precise diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, comprehensive, and uniform classification for cleft lip and palate.
• To compare the accuracy of preoperative diagnoses with intraoperative diagnoses using the proposed classification.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 521 consecutive patients undergoing primary surgical repair for cleft lip and palate deformities.
• Intraoperative diagnoses were recorded and translated using the presented classification.
• Comparison of preoperative diagnostic accuracy against intraoperative findings.

Main Results:

• Isolated cleft palate was the most frequent type of cleft.
• 18% of patients had inaccurate preoperative diagnoses.
• Intraoperative diagnoses, utilizing the new classification, demonstrated higher accuracy than preoperative assessments.

Conclusions:

• The proposed classification system for cleft lip and palate is clear, understandable, and effective.
• This classification can serve as a valuable tool for epidemiological studies of clefts.
• The system facilitates precise definition of a wide range of cleft presentations.