Clinical and Surgical Characteristics of Patients With Van Der Woude Syndrome

Van der Woude Syndrome (VWS) is an autosomal dominant condition characterized by a cleft lip and/or palate along with pits on the lower lip. These pits are associated with salivary glands, leading to clinical manifestations such as secretions and, in some cases, infections, which may influence the surgical approach. The goal of treatment is to improve cosmetic appearance and to repair the pits, thereby preventing recurrent infections. This study aims to emphasize the prevalence and significance of this syndrome among individuals with cleft lip and/or palate. In this study, the frequency and epidemiological characteristics of VWS among patients with cleft lip and/or palate were examined through a single-center retrospective analysis conducted between 2016 and 2021. A total of 1633 patients were included in this study, of whom 21 were identified as having VWS. The prevalence of VWS among patients with cleft lip and/or palate was found to be 1.3%. The average number of surgeries was 2.1 for patients without VWS and 2.8 for VWS patients. The female-to-male ratio among VWS patients was 1.6. The most common associated condition was bilateral cleft lip and palate. Secondary lip surgeries were more frequent in patients with VWS than without VWS. Since the repair of the pits on the lip is also necessary in VWS, surgical treatment is more complex compared with patients with cleft lip and palate alone. Achieving satisfactory functional and cosmetic outcomes in patients with Van der Woude Syndrome requires more surgical interventions than in patients without VWS.