Repairing some minor defects in cleft lip patients by injecting fillers

Abstract

Background & Aim: Postoperative deformities such as visible scar, short or thin lip, vermilion deformities, nasal wing deformities, and others are common in patients with cleft lip. These distortions affect the aesthetic appearance of the lip in particular and the face in general, and affect the psychological aspect. Some of these deformities require surgical intervention, while others can be resolved by non-surgical matters that are less satisfactory to the patient, such as the injection of fillers.

this study Aim to: Evaluation of the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid injection as a filler in repairing some secondary deformities following surgery in cleft lip patients, including patient satisfaction and aesthetic results.

Materials and Methods: The study sample included 16 patients (12 females and 4 males) ranging in age from 16-30 years of cleft lip patients who underwent primary and secondary surgeries to correct cleft lip closure and correct secondary defects and who still suffer from some defects in vermilion such as deformation of the whistle and lack of Symmetry and thin lip. Non-surgical correction of these defects was performed by injecting hyaluronic acid into vermilion, and the results were evaluated after one month of treatment using the Asher-McDade optical analogue scale by three residents who were the patient's family, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and a lay person.

Results: The degree of satisfaction significantly improved in all residents after the injection compared with before the injection in all studied variables (vermilion, symmetry and fullness) where it was p<0. 001.The degree of patient satisfaction after the injection has improved substantially, as it became very good and good for 75% of them, while the degree of satisfaction was weak to bad for 56.3% of them. The patients' impression of the injection was very good for 68.8% of them and good for the rest of the patients, and the patients agreed that the injection is easier than the previous surgical procedures by 100%.

Conclusions: Treating some deformities of cleft lip patients by injecting hyaluronic acid is a safe and effective way to improve the symmetry and aesthetics of the lip and face. It is an easy and unsatisfactory procedure that does not require an operating room and general anesthesia for the patient.