Bilateral one-stage rotation advancement technique for Saudi children with isolated bilateral incomplete cleft lip: low revision rate despite multiple imperfections.

Abstract

The author is unaware of any article published in the English literature during the past 25 years that addresses specifically the results of surgery in isolated bilateral incomplete cleft lip deformity. The current study presents the outcome and investigates the surgical revision rate in 10 consecutive Saudi children with this deformity. Surgery was performed by the same surgeon using the bilateral one-stage rotation advancement technique. No primary nasal correction was performed in any of the patients. There were no immediate postoperative complications. Only one patient was offered a revision, but the parents refused and stated that they were happy with the result. No secondary lip or nasal correction was suggested or planned for any of the other patients. A panel of 10 medical students was asked to assess the surgical results using a 10-point scale. The one patient who was offered a revision obtained the lowest grade (mean score, 7.5 points). The remaining patients had a mean score that ranged between 7.9 points and 9.3 points. It appears that the multiple imperfections and asymmetries observed in the postoperative photographs were not thought to be severe enough to warrant surgical revision.