Surgical Overview of Cleft Lip & It's Management

Cleft lip is among the most prevalent congenital abnormalities affecting the orofacial area. It can manifest as an isolated condition or in various combinations, sometimes accompanied by other congenital deformities. Patients with orofacial cleft deformities require timely and age-appropriate treatment to ensure both functional and aesthetic well-being. On average, a patient with a cleft lip undergoes three main surgical procedures for cleft deformity correction: Cheiloplasty, Palatoplasty, and Alveolar bone grafting. Additional secondary procedures may be considered to enhance function and appearance, such as Lip revision, correction of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction, and Orthognathic surgery. Clinical manifestations of cleft lip vary in type: Micro-formed lips appear as a vertical groove, with vermilion notching or varying degrees of shortening. Incomplete cleft lip displays a disruption while the nasal sill remains intact. Complete cleft lip involves total disruption of the lip, nasal sill, and alveolus. Symptoms may include facial deformity, difficulties with feeding, nasal regurgitation, impaired speech, primary anatomical deformities, psychological and ear-related issues.