Long-Term Effects of Premaxillary Excision in Patients with Complete Bilateral Cleft Lips and Palates

Abstract

In 1972, Friede and Pruzansky reported on a longitudinal study of complete bilateral cleft lip and palate wherein they divided the populations into subgroups with prognostic distinctions. Utilizing an enlarged sample of 107 patients studied over an even longer period of time, the present report focuses on three patients subjected to premaxillectomy. The rationale for this radical departure from usual and customary treatment and the long-term outcome are analyzed. The results emphasize the importance of considering variations in contiguous structures in treatment planning.