Objective: To analyze the three-dimensional morphology of the cleft infant face with digital surface photogrammetry. Design: Fifty plaster casts of unoperated infants with cleft lip and palate were imaged three-dimensionally with digital surface photogrammetry. Twenty-one standard craniofacial measurements were taken. The plaster casts were divided into 4 groups with unilateral, bilateral, complete, and incomplete clefts of the lip and palate. The measurements were compared with standard values for healthy infants. Results: Significant differences (p < .0025) were found for the alar base width (33% to 55%), the alar base root width (59% to 103%), the width of the nose (7% to 25%), the length of the alar wing (18% to 25%), and the intercanthal (6% to 17%) and biocular (4% to 12%) width, depending on the cleft type. The vertical dimensions of the nose and the upper lip did not differ significantly from the controls. Conclusion: This study describes preliminary data on the cleft infant facial deformity. The obtained results were mainly in agreement with data in the limited literature. Three-dimensional photogrammetry has proven to be reliable and can be applied more readily to potentially uncooperative patients.

Patients with severe maxillary hypoplasia secondary to craniofacial dysplasia present a challenge to the craniofacial surgeon. Maxillary distraction presents a promising tool to treat these patients more successfully. Fifteen patients aged 12 to 20 years with craniofacial dysplasia and maxillary retrusion were treated with two different techniques after complete Le Fort I osteotomy: one group underwent face mask protraction (2 patients), and the other group underwent rigid external distraction (13 patients). Cephalometric evaluation was performed before and after distraction. Rigid external distraction appeared to be superior to face mask protraction. Maxillary retrusion was fully corrected in this group. The path of maxillary positioning was well controlled by changing the traction force vector. Distraction osteogenesis has certainly improved treatment of these patients.

Recurrent cleft palate fistula is a challenge for maxillofacial surgeons. In severe cases, microvascular tissue transfer is necessary to treat these patients successfully. A 23-year-old man with cleft lip and palate, previously treated elsewhere, presented with a 2-cm defect in the posterior hard palate. A tongue flap had already been performed. It was decided to close the persistent fistula with a lateral upper-arm flap. In a first-step operation, a free graft of buccal mucosa was fixed to the lateral upper arm subcutaneously and covered with an alloplastic sheet. After 11 weeks, the prelaminated flap was harvested and transferred to the palate. Integration of the buccal mucosa to the upper arm was uneventful. On harvesting the flap, we found a smooth, thin, and continuous fasciomucosal flap with a mucosa surface of 4 x 4 cm. Healing of the microvascular flap in its recipient site was regular. The fistula was closed successfully. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a lateral upper-arm flap prelaminated with autologous mucosa. By prelamination, it is possible to circumvent the disadvantage of extraoral skin within the oral cavity and to cover mucosal defects with mucosa, especially in elective procedures, such as cleft cases.

Newborns with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) have mandibular hypoplasia, glossoptosis, and possibly cleft palate. Their facial appearance is characteristic. The further facial development is controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the facial development of children with PRS.In a prospective, cross-sectional study, 344 healthy children and 37 children with PRS and cleft palate younger than 8 years were scanned three-dimensionally. Twenty-one standard anthropometric landmarks were identified, and the images were superimposed. Growth curves for normal facial development were calculated. The facial morphology of children with PRS was compared with that of healthy children.The facial growth of children with PRS in the transversal and vertical direction was normal. In the sagittal direction, the mandibular deficit was confirmed. Except for the orbital landmarks and nasion, all landmarks of the midface demonstrated a significant sagittal deficit. This difference to healthy children remained constant for all ages.Our study cannot support the theory of mandibular catch-up growth. The sagittal deficit of the midface could be observed in all ages. This indicates that children with PRS have a very early, severe, and persistent underdevelopment of this part of the face. We conclude that this disturbance must be addressed in early childhood with orthodontic and speech therapy.