A Longitudinal Study of the Craniofacial Growth Pattern in Children with Clefts as Compared to Normal, Birth to Six Years

Abstract

In past years the statement has often been made that surgical interven« tion in cleft lip/palate cases would have a traumatic effect, i.e., a growth-stultifying effect, upon the palate—labial complex, more specifically the palate and the total maxillo—palatine complex It has been our feeling, here at Lancaster, that conservative surgery (properly timed, and offering a minimum of muco-periosteal involvement) should not result in deviant and /or dysplastic maxillo—facial growth. Hence, we are here testing such an hypothesis, which may be framed somewhat as follows: Operative intervention in cleft palate cases which minimally involves bone—growth potential will guide and facilitate maxillo~ facial growth in the individual so that post—operative growth, in a catchrup manner, will provide for the achievement of an acceptably normal cranio-facio—dental growth pattern. Drs. Krogman, Mazaheri, Harding and Ishiguro are affiliated with the H.