Comparative Study of Male and Female Lip Dimensions and Relevance to Lip Reconstruction in Tennison Randall’s Technique for Cleft Lip Repair

Background: Cleft lip is a congenital deformity -a gap in the upper lip and is one of the most common birth defects worldwide. Tennison Randall’s method of cleft lip repair creates a more naturally looking conserving the natural curves and contour of the lip. Lip reconstruction in cleft lip repair aims to restore the normal appearance and function of the lip with lesser scarring. Aim: This study aims at comparing the lip dimensions in males and females and assessing their significance to create a normal range of dimensions that will serve as a reference range in lip repair. Method: This is a gender-based, cross-sectional study. Measurement of normal lip dimensions from male and female subjects data covers 220 females and 220 males from 0.5 to 55 years, Measured lip parameters include: cleft width, lip height, vermillion width, and nostril sill width. Information was entered in and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 23. Result: There was a progressive increase in the inter soft tissue gape (ISG) from 4.00 – 4.22 ± 4.80 cm in the 10.1 to 12.0 years age group, with a peak between 6.1 – 8.0 years for the males while minimal increase in inter soft tissue gape (ISG) in the subjects in the 10.1 to 12.0 years age group, although both decreases in a fairly constant pattern thereafter. Conclusion: Male lip dimensions have greater values from birth to 6 to 8 years, peaks at 1have greater values from birth to 6 to 8 years, peaks at 14 yrs to be fairly constant. These dimensions provide a baseline for use in he Tennison Randall’s unilateral cleft lip repair which has less scarring and a more aesthetically and naturally positioned cupid’s bow.