Assessment of Scar Quality After Cleft Lip Closure

Objective: To assess scar quality after cleft lip repair. Design: The linear scars of patients with cleft lip with or without cleft palate were evaluated in a prospective study using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale. Linear regression was performed to identify which scar characteristics were important according to patients and observer. Setting: Regular outpatient follow-up visit with the cleft palate teams of two tertiary centers. Patients: All consecutive patients were asked to participate in this study after informed consent, minimally 1 year postsurgery. Main Outcome Measure: Scar characteristics influencing patient and observer opinion after cleft lip repair. Results: A total of 86 patients with cleft lip with or without cleft palate were included, resulting in evaluation of 99 scars. Two scar characteristics, itching and pain, were seldom a concern for the patients. Linear regression showed that scars assessed longer after surgery had a better outcome. Conclusion: Scar itching and pain did not seem to have an effect on patient opinion of the quality of the scar, and the majority of the patients were more satisfied with the outcome of their scar than the observer was.