Interpretation of Preoperative Albumin and Hematocrit Levels in Patients Operated for Cleft Palate: A Single-Center, Retrospective And Controlled Analysis

Introduction: Infants with cleft palate often experience feeding difficulties, leading to subtle nutritional deficiencies that may impact surgical outcomes. Serum albumin is commonly used to assess nutritional status. This study evaluates preoperative albumin and hematocrit levels and their association with postoperative complications in cleft palate patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients operated on for secondary cleft palate between January 2017 and January 2023. Patients with primary cleft lip/palate or syndromic conditions were excluded. Preoperative hematocrit and albumin levels were compared with a control group of pediatric patients undergoing superficial excisional biopsy. Postoperative fistula development was recorded. Results: A total of 224 cleft palate patients and 44 controls were included. Hematocrit and albumin levels were significantly lower in cleft patients (p=0.05 and p=0.033, respectively) but remained within normal ranges. No significant associations were found between laboratory values and postoperative fistula formation. Conclusion: Infants with cleft palate demonstrate mildly lower hematocrit and albumin levels compared to controls; however, these differences do not indicate clinical malnutrition and do not predict postoperative complications. Comprehensive nutritional assessments beyond albumin alone may better inform surgical readiness.