3D assessment of lip scarring and residual dysmorphology following surgical repair of cleft lip and palate: a preliminary study

<p><b>Objective:</b> To evaluate lip scarring and the 3D lip morphology, following primary reconstruction in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) relative to contemporaneous non-cleft data.</p> <p><b>Design:</b> Retrospective, cross-sectional, controlled study Setting: Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, University of Glasgow, the UK Patients and Participants: Three groups of 10-year old children: 51 with UCLP, 43 UCL, and 68 controls.</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> 3D images of the face were recorded using stereo cameras on a two-pod capture station and 3D co-ordinates of anthropometric landmarks were extracted from the facial images. A novel method was applied to quantify residual scarring and the associated lip dysmorphologies. The relationships among outcome measures were investigated.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Residual lip dysmorphologies were more pronounced in UCLP cases. The width of the Cupid's bow was increased due to lateral displacement of the cphL in both UCL and UCLP patients. In the upper part of the lip the nostril base was significantly wider in UCLP cases when compared to UCL cases and controls. Scar redness was more pronounced in UCL than in UCLP cases. No relationship could be identified between lip scarring and other measurements of lip dysmorphology.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> Stereophotogrammetry, together with associated image analysis, allows early detection of residual dysmorphology following cleft repair. Keywords: child, cleft lip and palate, lip repair, three-dimensional imaging, color measurement, lip scarring.</p&gt