2002 Volume 27 Issue 3 Pages 306-324
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of two-stage palatoplasty combined with Hotz' plate on craniofacial development in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).
Materials and Me thods: This semilongitudinal study was based on a comparison of craniofacial development between two UCLP groups: a two-stage group, consisting of 29unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients (19 males and 10 females), whose cleft palates were closed with two-stage palatoplasty combined with Hotz' plate (soft palatal closure at 18months, and hard palatal closure at 6 years); and a one-stage group, consisting of 28 UCLP patients (18 males and 10 females), whose cleft palates were closed with one-stage palatoplasty within 2 years. Eighty-seven headfilms (54 for males,31 for females) from the two-stage group, and 89 (58 for males,31 for females) from the one-stage group, were divided into five age groups (6,8,10,12, and 14 years), according to age of subjects. Additionally, each group was divided into two groups according to gender. After the lateral headfilms of each subject were traced, and the tracings were superimposed on Sella of SN line,24 variables were measured. The mean and standard deviation of each parameter in each group at different ages were calculated, and data from both groups were compared for each sex. Further, male and female average facial diagrams in both groups at each age were constructed, respectively, to investigate differences in the craniofacial growth pattern.
Results: In SNA, both male and female two-stage groups showed larger va lues in all age groups, especially in six-, eight-, and ten-year-old males. Furthermore, ANB values for two-stage group members of both sexes were consistently larger (1.5 degrees) compared with members of the one-stage trial, especially at 6,8,10, and 12 years of age. Conversely, male, one-stage group-members' values decreased over time. Furthermore, female, one-stage group members showed negative values, from the sixth year onward.
Conclusion: The findings in this study showed tha t craniofacial development in UCLP subjects with two-stage palatoplasty combined with Hotz' plate was better than that with one-stage palatal closure, indicating that this procedure for palatal closure could be advantageous for craniofacial development.
