Bad Results in Bilateral Cleft Lip Surgery

Fewer than 10% of cleft lips are bilateral and most of them involve the palate. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential in order to determine its severity and modify the skeletal deformity if necessary. Early presurgical orthopedics are used to mold the maxilla, alveolus, and nasal tissues and may prevent the development of bad outcomes after surgery in special severe forms. For those cases, surgical lip adhesion represents an alternative providing skeletal molding and soft tissue expansion. Most common bad results after primary bilateral cleft lip repair are dehiscence, lip and nose asymmetries, vermillion deficiencies, premaxilla malposition, sequels associated with muscular repair, and scarring sequelae. Management of secondary bilateral cleft lip deformities requires an interdisciplinary intervention being the dental skeletal correction essential to provide adequate soft tissue improvement.