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DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1810595
Median Craniofacial Clefts: Case Series from the Center for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Cleft Lip and Palate and Craniofacial Deformities
Article in several languages: português | EnglishAuthors
Financial Support The authors declare that they did not receive financial support from agencies in the public, private or non-profit sectors to conduct the present study.
Abstract
Introduction
Walter Dick reported the first case of oblique facial cleft in 1837, and since then, numerous cases have been described. This is a rare congenital malformation with diverse clinical manifestations, often associated with other congenital anomalies. Surgical treatment of these clefts is challenging due to the complexity and variation in presentations.
Materials and Methods
The present retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Center for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Cleft Lip and Palate and Craniofacial Deformities (Centro de Tratamento e Reabilitação de Fissuras Labiopalatais e Deformidades Craniofaciais, CENTRARE, in Portuguese), Hospital da Baleia, between January 2006 and March 2023. We analyzed data from the medical records of 12 (33.3% of male and 66.6% of female) patients with median cleft. Variables included sex, pregnancy risk factors, family history, associated anomalies, age at first surgical procedure, cleft presentation, and surgical technique.
Results
Pregnancy risk factors were identified in 58.33% of cases, and 91.66% had associated anomalies, the most common being holoprosencephaly. The age at the first surgical procedure ranged from 6 months to 1 year. Also, two patients died due to severe malformations.
Conclusion
Median facial clefts present significant phenotypic variations, requiring individualized surgical approaches. Treatment planning should consider the severity of anomalies and life expectancy, prioritizing anatomical restructuring and preservation of essential functions.
Clinical Trials
None.
Study performed at Fundação Benjamin Guimarães, Hospital da Baleia, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Publication History
Received: 17 October 2024
Accepted: 20 May 2025
Article published online:
09 October 2025
© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua Rego Freitas, 175, loja 1, República, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01220-010, Brazil
André Luiz Monteiro dos Santos Marins, Mateus Teixeira Alfenas, Aurélio Rocha Batista de Oliveira, Thaís Moreira, Bruno Meilman Ferreira, Mariana Sisto Alessi, Júlia Cardoso Laluce, Hugo Leonardo de Resende Rodrigues. Fissuras medianas craniofaciais: Série de casos do Centro de Tratamento e Reabilitação de Fissuras Labiopalatais e Deformidades Craniofaciais. Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Plástica (RBCP) – Brazilian Journal of Plastic Surgery 2025; 40: s00451810595.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1810595
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