A Descriptive Study of Clefts of the Primary and Secondary Palate Seen in a Tertiary Institution in Nigeria

Background: Cleft lip and palate is the commonest congenital malformation of the head and neck region. This article discusses the experiences of the authors′ in the management of clefts of the primary and secondary palate in a tertiary institution in Nigeria. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective review of the clinical database for all children with cleft lip and palate. Data were analyzed for age at presentation, sex distribution, surgical technique, associated congenital anomalies, and complications. The results obtained were converted to relative values in frequency tables for analysis. Results: The average age at presentation for all patients with cleft was 2.47 years. Males were slightly more affected than females among all clefts with a frequency of 40 (53%) and 35 (47%). The distribution of clefts by location showed a preponderance of the left side 33 (44%), followed by right side 18 (24%) and bilateral cases 11 (15%). Three patients (4%) had a relative with a cleft of the primary or secondary palate. At least one congenital malformation coexisted with a cleft of the primary or secondary palate in 13 (17%) of the 75 babies. The commonest post-operative complication of cleft of the primary palate was wound dehiscence 3 (4%). Conclusion: This study has shown that there was a wide range of age at presentation. It is characterized by delays in the repair of clefts of the primary and secondary palate. We strongly support early repair of clefts of the primary and secondary palate to facilitate normal feeding, better speech and ensure social acceptance.