Basic and Informative Photographic Standards for Cleft Lip Patients.

BACKGROUND

Standardized and reliable medical photographs are crucial for preoperative and postoperative comparisons and academic communication in the medical field. There is limited research on photographic techniques in patients with cleft lip. Deformities of the lip and nose in patients with cleft lip are not only associated with morphological abnormalities but also with abnormalities of muscle function.

METHODS

Considering the morphology and function of the lips and nose in cleft lip patients, the study captured the deformity of cleft lip patients in 6 positions: frontal view, 45 degrees left-right tilted side view, 90 degrees left-right tilted side view, and basal view, and in 5 facial expressions: tightly closed lips, slightly open mouth, smiling, teeth bared, and pout.

RESULTS

In 6 different positions and 5 different expressions, we took pictures of lip and nasal deformities covering most of the common deformities in patients with cleft lip, such as white lip scarring, interruption of continuity of vermillion border, lip prolapse, asymmetric corners of the mouth, collapsed ala nasi, loss of the nasal base and deviated nasal septum.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper suggests a set of effective, easy-to-follow, and precise photographic protocols to assist cleft lip surgeons in capturing suitable and informative, high-quality 2D digital photographs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level-V.