Unilateral Cleft lip and Palate: Long-Term Results of the Malek Technique

Abstract

To review at 18 years-old the results of surgery and follow-up of children born in our hospital with unilateral cleft lip and palate (uCLP). They were operated at the time by the same surgeon, following the same primary surgical procedure (Malek). Retrospective cohort study. Tertiary Children's Hospital. All children born with uCLP between 1996 and 2001 and operated in our hospital. Syndromic children were excluded. Results of the primary surgery, ear–nose–throat interventions, maxillo-facial surgery and final phonatory results. Seventy-nine files of children born with a cleft were reviewed: 34 were taken into consideration for uCLP: 15 right and 19 left. They were operated in two stages, following the inverse Malek procedure. Sixty per cent had a fistula. Eighty-eight percent had grommets. Ninety-seven percent had an alveolar graft at a median age of nine (5-10) and 22% underwent a Le Fort osteotomy. Seven percent were operated for a pharyngeal flap, 29% for a secondary lip surgery at a mean age of 12.8 and 29% for a late rhinoplasty at a mean age of 14.8 years. A median of 5.7 multidisciplinary consultations was realized with a median number of general anesthesia of 7.1 (4-13). This retrospective study shows that the Malek procedure for children born with uCLP is related to a high risk of fistula but good long-term phonatory results. Twenty percent of children were operated for a Le Fort procedure and one-third for a secondary lip procedure and rhinoplasty.