Changing Trends in Cleft Lip and Palate Management Taught in Training Programs in Korea

Outcomes of Primary Palatoplasty: An Analysis Using the Pediatric Health Information System Database

BACKGROUND

Previous attempts at reporting oronasal fistula development and secondary speech surgery following cleft palate surgery have been limited to single-center case series. This limitation can be overcome by querying large databases created by health care governing bodies or health care alliances. The authors examined the effect of cleft type and demographic variables on the clinical outcomes.

METHODS

Data from the Pediatric Health Information System database were queried for patients, aged 6 to 18 months, who had undergone primary palatoplasty between 2004 and 2009. Subsequent repair of an oronasal fistula and/or secondary speech surgery between 2004 and 2015 was identified by procedure codes. Logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between cleft type with oronasal fistula and with secondary speech surgery.

RESULTS

Seven thousand three hundred twenty-five patients were identified, and 6.4 percent (n = 468) had a subsequent repair of an oronasal fistula and 18.5 percent (n = 1355) had a secondary speech operation. Adjusted for age, sex, and race, patients with cleft lip and palate have increased odds of oronasal fistula (OR, 5.60; 95 percent CI, 4.44 to 7.07) and secondary speech surgery (OR, 2.32; 95 percent CI, 2.05 to 2.63).

CONCLUSIONS

Using a large, multi-institution billing database, the authors were able to estimate the prevalence of oronasal fistula and surgically treated velopharyngeal insufficiency following primary palatoplasty in the United States. In addition, the authors demonstrated that patients with isolated cleft palate develop fewer oronasal fistulas and require less secondary speech surgery than patients with cleft lip and palate.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Risk, III.

Prevalence, demographics, and complications of cleft palate surgery

INTRODUCTION

Current published data on the demographics of cleft lip and palate is sparse and differs intranationally in reported incidence, demographics, and complication rates, making accurate local data both valuable and useful. We investigate the prevalence, demographics, and complications of cleft palate correction surgery in the inpatient setting over a 15-year period.

METHODS

A retrospective review of The California Hospital Discharge Data sets of all pediatric patients who underwent cleft palate repair or cleft palate revision from 1997 to 2011. Children's hospitals (CHs) were analyzed as a separate group. For each record, age, gender, ethnicity, length of stay, total charges, principal payer, complications, and disposition were analyzed.

RESULTS

10,450 correction surgeries were performed during 1997-2011. This was an annual case-volume of 697 and annual population-adjusted rate of 2.0, neither of which changed over time (p=0.9 and 0.06, respectively). Of all surgeries, 21.5% were revisions, 48.3% were performed in CHs, 56.2% were performed on males, and 65.5% were performed on Caucasians. The median length of stay was 1 day, which did not change over time (p=1.0). The median total charges increased from $9.074 to $35,643 over the studied period (p<0.001). Admission to CHs was associated with shorter stay (1-3 days vs. 1-4 days) and higher total charges ($15,560 vs. $13,242; both p<0.001). Complications occurred in 393 (3.8%) of the surgeries. This percentage did not change over time (p=0.2). The most common complication was fistula/abscess/infection, which occurred in 159 cases (1.5%). Respiratory complications requiring ventilation occurred 66 cases (0.6%). Complications were more common in CHs (4.8% vs. 2.8%; p<0.001). Mortality rate was <0.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study constitutes the entire surgical cohort within a state, allowing for an accurate representation of the true perioperative complication rate of these procedures. The prevalence, demographics, and outcomes of the cleft palate correction surgery have remained unchanged during 1997-2011. Collectively, our data suggest that primary and secondary palatoplasty present low perioperative risk.

Preliminary study of Korean orthodontic residents' current concepts and knowledge of cleft lip and palate management

OBJECTIVE

A national survey was conducted to assess orthodontic residents' current concepts and knowledge of cleft lip and palate (CLP) management in Korea.

METHODS

A questionnaire consisting of 7 categories and 36 question items was distributed to 16 senior chief residents of orthodontic department at 11 dental university hospitals and 5 medical university hospitals in Korea. All respondents completed the questionnaires and returned them.

RESULTS

All of the respondents reported that they belonged to an interdisciplinary team. Nineteen percent indicated that they use presurgical infant orthopedic (PSIO) appliances. The percentage of respondents who reported they were 'unsure' about the methods about for cleft repair operation method was relatively high. Eighty-six percent reported that the orthodontic treatment was started at the deciduous or mixed dentition. Various answers were given regarding the amount of maxillary expansion for alveolar bone graft and the estimates of spontaneous or forced eruption of the upper canine. Sixty-seven percent reported use of a rapid maxillary expansion appliance as an anchorage device for maxillary protraction with a facemask. There was consensus among respondents regarding daily wearing time, duration of treatment, and amount of orthopedic force. Various estimates were given for the relapse percentage after maxillary advancement distraction osteogenesis (MADO). Most respondents did not have sufficient experience with MADO.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that education about the concepts and methods of PSIO and surgical repair, consensus regarding orthodontic management protocols, and additional MADO experience are needed in order to improve the quality of CLP management in Korean orthodontic residents.