Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Jul-Dec;10(2):434-438.
doi: 10.4103/ams.ams_104_20. Epub 2020 Dec 23.

Management of Orofacial Cleft in Nigeria - A Retrospective Study

Olutayo James  1 , Adegbayi Adeola Adekunle  2 , Olawale Olatubosun Adamson  1 , Olushola Failat Agbogidi  2 , Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo  1 , Azeez Butali  3 , Akinola L Ladeinde  1 , Mobolanle Olugbemiga Ogunlewe  1
Affiliations

Management of Orofacial Cleft in Nigeria - A Retrospective Study

Olutayo James et al. Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Jul-Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are among the most common craniofacial developmental abnormalities worldwide and a significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify patterns of patient presentation, treatment approaches, and changes in our overall cleft care service between 2007 and 2019.

Methods and methodology: A retrospective review of patients managed at a tertiary health facility in Nigeria of all OFC cases operated between 2007 and 2019 was done using the postintervention data retrieved from the Smile Train database. Data of all OFC cases operated within the period were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0.

Results: A total number of 740 OFC surgeries were performed in 565 patients, consisting of 269 females (48.2%) and 289 males (51.8%). The majority (63%) of the patients presented before the age of 2 years. Thirty-seven percent presented with cleft lip and alveolus, 27.1% with cleft palate only, and 36.7% with cleft lip, alveolus, and palate. Primary cleft lip repair was the most performed surgery (n = 320, 43.2%), the mean age at repair was 2.1 years. Since 2017, additional services such as speech therapy, mixed dentition orthodontics, and nutritional support were added to services provided to our cleft patients. Fifteen patients have undergone speech assessment and three have completed speech treatment. Eight patients have undergone mixed dentition stage orthodontic treatment.

Discussion: Our services have evolved from simply providing surgical care to comprehensive care with a multidisciplinary team approach and provision of a wide range of services including nutritional counseling, pediatric care, orthodontic services, and speech therapy. We believe these will improve the overall well-being of our patients while we continue to improve on services based on clinical research outcomes.

Keywords: Cleft care; cleft management; orofacial cleft.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Showing the yearly distribution of surgical cases
Figure 2
Figure 2
Shows the mean age of patients at the time of primary cleft lip repair per year
Figure 3
Figure 3
Shows the mean age of patients at the time of primary cleft palate repair per year
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Kromberg JG, Jenkins T. Common birth defects in South African Blacks. S Afr Med J. 1982;62:599–602. - PubMed
    1. Adeyemo WL, James O, Butali A. Cleft lip and palate: Parental experiences of stigma, discrimination, and social/structural inequalities. Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2016;6:195–203. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Conway JC, Taub PJ, Kling R, Oberoi K, Doucette J, Jabs EW. Ten-year experience of more than 35,000 orofacial clefts in Africa. BMC Pediatr. 2015;15:8. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Fink B, Neave N. The biology of facial beauty. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2005;27:317–25. - PubMed
    1. Oladele AO, Olabanji JK, Awe OO. Adolescent and adult cleft lip and palate, in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2012;15:403–7. - PubMed