Aesthetic Evaluation of the Nasolabial Region in Children with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Comparing Expert versus Nonexperience Health Professionals

Abstract

Esthetic evaluation of cleft lip and palate rehabilitation outcomes may assist in the determination of new surgical interventions and aid in reevaluation of treatment protocols. Our objective was to compare esthetics assessments of the nasolabial region in children with a unilateral cleft lip and palate between healthcare professionals who were experienced in the treatment of cleft lip and palate and those who were inexperienced. The study group included 55 patients between 6 and 12 years of age who had already undergone primary reconstructive surgery for unilateral cleft lip. Standardized digital photographs were obtained, and the esthetic features of the nose, lip, and nasolabial region were evaluated. We used only cropped photographic images in the assessments of healthcare professionals with and without experience in cleft lip and palate. Interrater analysis revealed highly reliable assessments made by both the experienced and inexperienced professionals. There was no statistically significant difference in the esthetic attractiveness of the lip and nose between the experienced and inexperienced professionals. Compared with the inexperienced professionals, the experienced professional evaluators showed higher satisfaction with the esthetic appearance of the nasolabial region; however, no difference was observed in the analysis of the lip or nose alone.