Cleft malformation of lip, alveolus, hard and soft palate, and nose (LAHSN)--a critical view of the terminology, the diagnosis and gradation as a basis for documentation and therapy.

The hope for the improvement of the treatment of patients with a cleft malformation of lip, alveolus, hard and soft palate, and nose (LAHSN) is to review and to compare new concepts and methods. But research in this way presumes an exact, reliable and reproduceable diagnosis and documentation. This article reviews previously published diagnosis and documentation systems, and also suggests a concise and simple system to record a cleft lip and palate diagnosis. The anatomical regions of the cleft are considered as well as their extent. A three way division to record the extent of the malformed regions is proposed. It is a extensively used diagnosis recording system.