A Three-Dimensional Comparison of Nasolabial Soft Tissue between Children with Repaired Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip and Palate and Unaffected Children in Khon Kaen, Thailand

Objectives: The objectives were to assess the treatment outcomes of unilateral cleft lip and palate after primary surgery on nasolabial soft tissue of children ages 4–5 years old as compared with unaffected children and to establish a nasolabial soft tissue norm within Khon Kaen. Study design: This cross-sectional study consisted of 60 unaffected subjects living in Khon Kaen province and 20 subjects with repaired complete unilateral cleft lip and palate who were treated at Srinagarind Hosipital, Khon Kaen, Thailand. 3D images were taken by a Morpheus 3D Scanner and measured by the Morpheus 3D program. Independent t-tests and paired t-tests were used to analyze the significant differences between subjects with cleft and unaffected subjects. Results: There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) of nasolabial measurements between affected subjects and unaffected subjects. Unilateral measurements showed decreased nostril height, columella lengths, and nose protrusion from ala base and ala length in the affected group. In addition, bilateral measurements found decreased upper lip protrusion, philtrum length, upper lip height, upper vermillion thickness, and lip angle. Conclusion: This study attempted to establish a norm for evaluating the treatment outcome of cleft lip and cleft palate repair at Srinagarind Hospital in relation to unaffected or noncleft individuals. The results suggest that the noncleft side in affected patients is not an optimal surgical guide for cleft repair and the surgeon should correct both sides of lip and nose features according to the norms. A surgical treatment plan should emphasize correcting nostril height, columella length, nose protrusion from ala base, ala length, and upper lip features.