Comparism of the Pattern of Nasolabial Measurements Among Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip/Palate and Controls at a Teritary Hospital in Northeast, Nigeria

Abstract

Studies that used objective anthropometric data to evaluate the cleft defect and compare with norms in African population are scarce. Evaluation of lip-nose anthropometric characteristics of patients with unilateral cleft lip/palate is essential in appraising the quality of care in cleft management.

Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the lip deformity in complete unilateral cleft lip/palate (CUCL/P), provide comparative quantitative data to evaluate surgical results, as well as compared to norms and that recorded in other racial groups.

Methods: 29 cleft and 29 non-cleft subjects were recruited into the study. Standardized² 2-dimensional photographs were taken using a digital camera with fixed object-tens distance for all subjects. Indirect measurements of nine new differences were described by Farkas (1993) were done using a computer software. For all statistical comparisons of methods, a p-value of less than 0.05 was accepted as being statistically significant.

Results: The mean anthropometric dimensions of the horizontal lip height, vertical lip height and philtial height were lower on the cleft side than the non-cleft side in the UCCL/P group of patients. The nasal width dimension of the cleft position is higher than the mid-height side in the UCCL/P group. A similar finding was observed when comparing the cleft side dimensions of the UCCL/P group with those of non-cleft subjects. The lip-nose dimensions of the non-cleft side in subjects with UCCL/P were found to be similar to those of non-cleft subjects.

Conclusion: Significant differences exist in lip dimensions between the cleft side and the non-cleft side of CUCL/P patients. In some cases, the number of cleft positions increases with normal deformation and gains its surgical orthopaedic, surgical planning, and assessment of outcomes.