[Adherence to the treatment of pre surgical nasoalveolar molding in cleft lip and palate].

OBJECTIVES

The nasoalveolar molding device (NAM) designed to decrease the size of the defect and improve nasal asymmetry, facilitates surgical intervention improving the results. However, family involvement is highly necessary due to the fact that the treatment herein referred is long and tedious. The aim of this study is to determine adherence to treatment and possible variables that can determine their rejection.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Patients treated with NAM over the last 6 years (64 patients). Retrospective data collection and telephone surveys. 5 groups established depending on its respective adherence to the treatment (from rejection of the treatment to good adherence to it). Several aspects are herein analyzed related to the caregiver, the patient and the social background (degree of education, number of caregivers, distance to the hospital, etc.). Through the SPSS program, a descriptive study was carried out, analyzing the variables using chi2 with Fisher's exact correction.

RESULTS

46 surveys were completed (32 boys and 14 girls), 63% were unilateral, 91% had a cleft palate. Adherence to the treatment was good by 80%, and only 6% rejected the treatment. The adherence was significantly higher, if they had contacted with other families of patients (P < 0.01) and a higher tendency of abandonment of treatment in other nationalities than the Spanish one, although without significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to treatment is very good in general, and we can not significantly determine the variables that can condition the rejection of treatment, but contacting with family members of patients or associations of patients makes the adherence greater.