Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:The severity of unilateral cleft lip significantly influences surgical outcomes, yet no standardized system exists to classify cleft severity or assess the impact of presurgical infant orthopedics (PSIO). This study proposes an objective classification system integrating anthropometric measurements with expert evaluations. METHODS:Deidentified pre- and post-PSIO photographs of 50 infants with unilateral cleft lip from the Smile Train Express database were analyzed. Three anthropometric parameters-nostril width ratio (NWR), columellar angle (CA), and subnasale lateral displacement (SN)-were measured. An expert panel of orthodontists and surgeons independently rated cleft severity and PSIO outcomes in a structured three-stage process. Severity thresholds were established through consensus, and interrater agreement was analyzed using weighted kappa. RESULTS:Consensus-derived thresholds categorized NWR, CA, and SN into four severity levels. Interrater agreement for cleft severity improved across stages, reaching near-perfect levels in Stage 3 (weighted kappa = 0.91 pre-PSIO, 0.93 post-PSIO). While pre-PSIO agreement was similar between surgeons and orthodontists, post-PSIO assessments showed greater variability. PSIO had a disproportionate effect on nasal morphology (CA) compared to maxillary segments (NWR, SN), with severe NWR and SN frequently coexisting with mild CA. The proposed classification system demonstrated substantial reliability, aligning at least two parameters within the same severity subclassification. CONCLUSIONS:This study introduces a standardized classification system for cleft severity and PSIO outcomes, demonstrating strong interrater reliability. By integrating anthropometric data with expert assessments, it provides a reproducible framework for clinical and research applications. Further refinements, including intraoral measurements and 3D imaging, may enhance its precision and applicability.

BACKGROUND:Congenital palatal fistula (CPF), most often associated with submucous cleft palate (SMCP), is a rare clinical entity. Surgical management is challenging owing to anatomical variation and risk of persistent velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). We reported outcomes from a case series of 27 patients with CPF associated with SMCP managed using a standardized institutional algorithm. METHODS:A retrospective review was conducted at CLAPP Hospital, Lahore, from 2015 to 2020. Patients with CPF associated with SMCP were included; acquired fistulae and syndromic cases were excluded. Fistulae were classified using the Pakistan Comprehensive Fistula Classification Scheme. SMCP was further stratified according to the CLAPP Classification and Treatment Algorithm, guiding surgical approach (midline incision, modified Langenbeck, or standard Langenbeck with/without adjunctive procedures). Outcomes included fistula recurrence and speech results. RESULTS:The cohort comprised 27 patients (mean age 9.9 years; range 1-23 years), and 52% were female. Two patients (7.4%) developed postoperative fistula recurrence. Preoperatively, 94% of patients had severe hypernasality (G3). Postoperatively, mean composite speech scores improved by 52.3% (14.9→7.1). Fourteen patients [14/17 (82.4%)] achieved G0/G1 (normal resonance). Younger patients (<12 years) showed greater improvement (90% to G0/G1) compared to older patients (71.4%). No middle-ear sequelae were observed. CONCLUSIONS:A tailored algorithmic approach for CPF associated with SMCP yielded low recurrence (7.4%) and substantial speech improvement. Younger patients demonstrated greater postoperative speech benefit, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis and repair.

Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) is a life-long condition that requires multidisciplinary care throughout childhood and beyond. Studies have examined the impact of CL/P on psychosocial outcomes including lower self-esteem, higher incidence of bullying, social isolation, and rejection. As a result, patients may be predisposed to experiencing mood disorders or trauma related to their facial difference. Moreover, access to dedicated cleft centers is limited in many areas in the United States. For children with a CL/P who present to the healthcare system, evaluating for trauma symptoms and incorporating trauma-informed care can support these patients' psychosocial wellbeing during an impressionable developmental period.

Presurgical lip, alveolus, and nose approximation (PLANA) is a novel form of presurgical infant orthopedics (PSIO) designed without an intraoral molding plate. While early studies on PLANA have demonstrated improvements in nasolabial morphology, its impact on infant feeding and weight gain has not been assessed. A single-institution, retrospective review of all patients with cleft lip and palate (CL±P) treated with PLANA over a 1-year period was therefore performed. Weight values at baseline and at surgery were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards, and weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) as well as changes in weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) were obtained. A cohort of patients who underwent PSIO with NasoAlveolar Molding (NAM) was evaluated as a reference group. The PLANA (n=19) and NAM (n=25) groups were comparable in age (15.63 versus 21.16 d, P=0.2), weight (3.38 versus 3.50 kg, P=0.2), and WAZ (-0.80 versus -0.94, P=0.8) at baseline, and in age (103.11 versus 113.04 d, P=0.06), weight (5.82 versus 5.68 kg, P=0.3), and WAZ (-0.92 versus -1.47, P=0.2) at surgery. Both groups had similar weight gain (2.44 versus 2.18 kg, P=0.1) and WAZ (-0.12 versus -0.53, P=0.2). The PLANA group exhibited statistically significant greater daily weight gain (0.028 versus 0.024 kg/d, P=0.04). None of the patients experienced surgical delays due to insufficient weight gain. PLANA did not interfere with presurgical weight gain in infants with CL±P.

Strict trainee work-week hour restrictions, increased complexities of surgical care, and shifting hospital policies have posed challenges to operating room training for residents in high-resource regions. A shortage of cleft-trained surgeon educators and inconsistent training curricula further limit exposure to cleft operative education in low-resource settings. Furthermore, teaching cleft surgery can be difficult given the confined space of the infant oral cavity and the small, delicate flaps used for reconstruction. In the face of these challenges, the role of simulation has expanded in surgical education to supplement intraoperative training and increase resident preparedness. Smile Train, a nonprofit cleft-focused organization, in partnership with the technology companies BioDigital (New York, NY) and Simulare Medical (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), and academic plastic surgeons, has developed and globally distributed a variety of simulation resources for cleft surgery. This work provided a comprehensive review of Smile Train-distributed simulator modalities, including surgical training videos, a digital simulation platform, high-fidelity physical simulators, and virtual reality models. This review described the evolution of these models, the effects on learner experience, knowledge, and surgical performance, as well as directions for future development.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Virtual reality (VR) has not been tested for cleft surgery training in low-resource settings where the surgical instructor provides the lesson from another continent. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:Fifty-one plastic and maxillofacial surgery trainees in India participated in a VR simulation of the Furlow palatoplasty given by a New York-based cleft surgeon. Participants completed pre- and postsurveys, which included a knowledge assessment regarding the Furlow technique, confidence in VR as an educational tool, and opinions on the use of VR in surgical education. Satisfaction and acceptance of the technology were assessed with learning measures postsimulation. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:< 0.001). The opinion that VR should be included in surgical education began high and remained high. Learners reported that the simulation was stimulating (4.63 ± 0.49), increased interest (4.51 ± 0.67), was clear (4.45 ± 0.67), and was effective for teaching (4.78 ± 0.47), and they would recommend the lecture to others (4.78 ± 0.46). VR simulation increased control and active learning (4.73 ± 0.49), facilitated comprehension (4.76 ± 0.51), allowed for reflective thinking (4.59 ± 0.57), had high fidelity (3.98 ± 0.93), was easy to use (4.29 ± 0.73), and was enjoyable (4.78 ± 0.42). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:VR cleft simulation can be effectively used in low- to emerging-resource settings. Surgical instructors can provide real-time, immersive surgical experiences to trainees across the world.