Does the Initial Width of Cleft Lip Play a Role in the Occurrence of Immediate Local Complications Following Primary Cleft Lip Repairs?

Objective: Among the several factors implicated in the occurrence of local surgical site complications following cleft lip repair is the initial width of the cleft. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of cleft width in the occurrence of immediate local surgical site complications. Material and methods: All consecutive subjects with diagnosis of unilateral or bilateral cleft lip with or without cleft palate who presented at the cleft clinic and satisfied the inclusion criteria were recruited in the study. The width of the cleft lip defect as adopted for the study was measured from the peak of the Cupid bow on the non-cleft side to a point where the white roll begins to thin out on the cleft side. Measurement was done using a Vernier Calliper. Surgery was performed under general anesthesia after which subjects were evaluated for the presence or absence of immediate local surgical site complications which included dehiscence, infection, and vermillion notching of the lip. Results: A total of 70 subjects consisting of 36 (51.4%) males and 34 (48.6%) females were included in the study. Mean age (+/- SD) was 9.0 +/- (19.4) months with age range of 3 months to 13 years. The prevalence of early surgical site complications was 24.3%. The width of cleft above a critical level (14 mm) statistically correlate significantly with the occurrence of early surgical site complications (P = 0.048). Conclusion: This study showed that the width of cleft lip of and above critical level of 14 mm may be associated with a clinically significant risk of immediate local surgical site complications.