Assessment of Surgical Outcome in Patients with Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair Using Two-Dimensional Clinical Photographs

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the treatment outcomes of surgical therapy for unilateral cleft lip repair using quantitative
(anthropometric) assessment and two-dimensional (2D) photographic analysis. Materials and Methods: The study
included 125 participants who met the “rule of 10,” had a unilateral cleft lip, and were seeking primary surgery.
A comparative retrospective study was conducted using patients’ clinical records and facial photographs from the
archives of a prestigious cleft lip and palate center in India. This study evaluated the clinical outcomes of cleft lip
surgery in children aged 6–72 months old. Extraoral 2D photographs, Adobe Photoshop CS6 software, and visual
and measurable parameters were evaluated. Results: The average pre- and post-operative difference in lip length
was −1.504 ± 1.6 cm, indicating a significant increase in lip length following the procedure. The mean pre- and
post-operative differences in lip height were −1.856 ± 1.312 mm, which showed a significant increase in lip height
post-operatively. Similarly, a significant increase in columella size was observed. The mean pre- and post-operative
differences in nostril height were −0.216 ± 0.989. The findings indicated a significant increase in the post-operative
nostril height. Conclusion: It was concluded that quantitative (anthropometric) assessment using 2D photographic
analysis can be an effective tool for assessing surgical outcomes in patients with unilateral cleft lip.