Minimally invasive versus standard approach in LeFort 1 osteotomy in patients with history of cleft lip and palate.

OBJECTIVE

Compare literature-reported efficiency and complications of the standard maxillary advancement surgery with those of a minimally invasive mucosal approach in patients with CL/P requiring Le Fort 1 osteotomy.

DESIGN

Meta-analysis vs. retrospective analysis of 18 consecutive cases.

SETTING

Department of maxillofacial surgery at a tertiary-level public general hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

The meta-analysis encompassed Medline, Embase and Cochrane, years 1990 to 2014, inclusive. The local series concerned all squeletally mature adolescents with non-syndromic CL/P who underwent orthognathic surgery between 30 April 2004 and 27 January 2012.

INTERVENTIONS: Minimally invasive approach and perioperative orthodontics including intermaxillary fixation for 3 months after surgery.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Assessment of complications. Standard lateral cephalograms were taken before surgery, then <1 week and 12 months after surgery. Delaire's cephalometric analysis was performed and the position of the maxilla was recorded.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the literature and our series regarding sex and type of deformity (P=0.634 and 0.779, respectively). The mean horizontal and vertical relapse rates were 0.61 and 1.17mm (vs. 1.29 and 1.48mm in the meta-analysis) and the overall complication rate was 22.2% (vs. 12.76% but P=0.271). There was a significant difference regarding the palatal fistula rate (0 here vs. 21.43% in meta-analysis, P=0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

The minimally invasive approach showed trends toward less relapse and less complications than conventional approaches. This technique seems adapted to the management of patients with CL/P sequelae. Other benefiting groups are underway.