Cleft lip mongolian spot: mongolian spot associated with cleft lip.

BACKGROUND

Mongolian spots in the cleft area of cleft lip have been found in some Japanese children.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to study the frequency of cleft lip mongolian spot in children with cleft lip of various severity.

METHODS

Sixty-six babies with unilateral cleft lip were divided into three groups: namely, those with microform cleft lip (10 subjects), incomplete cleft lip (30 subjects), and complete cleft lip (26 subjects). The incidence of cleft lip mongolian spot in the three groups was studied.

RESULTS

Thirty-six babies (55%) had a cleft lip mongolian spot. The mongolian spot was observed in no patients with microform cleft lip, in 18 patients (60%) with incomplete cleft lip, and in 18 patients (69%) with complete cleft lip.

CONCLUSION

Cleft lip mongolian spot appears in high incidence when the cleft goes beyond the vermilion border.