Curved-line cleft lip repair in unilateral complete cleft lip patients: Comparative analysis of lip dimensions after cheiloplasty

Abstract

This study aimed to restore upper lip symmetry and minimize tissue sacrifice using a curved line design and wire technique and analyze the postoperative outcomes. In this retrospective study, medical records of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip who underwent unilateral cheiloplasty between August 2017 and February 2019 were reviewed. The postoperative clinical photos were analyzed to determine vertical, diagonal philtral heights and the horizontal lengths of the upper lip. The average of the cleft side to non-cleft side length ratios were compared between the curved line group and conventional group. At 3, 6, and 12 months, the average vertical length ratios were significantly greater in the curved line group than in the conventional group (0.927-0.823, p = 0.007; 0.940 to 0.885, p = 0.037; and 0.947 to 0.883, p = 0.040, respectively), but the average horizontal length ratios were not significantly different between the two groups. Within the limitations of the study it seems that curved line cheiloplasty aids in preventing short lip deformity development at regular term without significantly sacrificing the horizontal length and, therefore, should be adopted whenever appropriate.