Standardized Method for Description of Cleft Lip and Palate Phenotypes and Its Implementation in Daily Practice: Validation Study

BackgroundCleft lip and palate are the most common congenital craniofacial anomalies. There are several classifications of cleft lip and palate that have been proposed over the years; however, only a few have found clinical application. We presented classification of a cleft lip and palate that is comprehensive and uniform, and it can precisely define the vast majority of the clefts.MethodsFive hundred and twenty-one consecutive patients underwent their primary surgical procedure for cleft lip and palate deformities. These intraoperative diagnoses were translated into abbreviated diagnoses based on the classification that we presented. In this paper, we compared the accuracy of preoperative diagnoses with that of intraoperative diagnoses according to the well-known classification of cleft lip and palate that we presented.ResultsA total of 343 cleft lip surgeries and 413 palatoplasty surgeries were performed on 521 patients. The isolated cleft palate was the most common type of cleft in our group of patients. Associated anomalies occurred in 16% of patients with clefts of the lip and palate. In our study, 18% of patients had an inaccurate preoperative diagnosis. The intraoperative diagnoses were more accurate compared to preoperative diagnoses. The simplicity and comprehensibility of the proposed classification were shown through the comparison of preoperative, intraoperative, and diagnostic information presented by this classification.ConclusionThe classification of cleft lip and palate that we presented is clear, easy to understand, and can be a successful tool in studying the epidemiology of clefts.