Characteristics of Charity Cleft Patients in Haulussy General Hospital 2017-2019

Abstract

Cleft lip and palate is a common congenital disorder with an incidence of 1 per 300 live births of Asian descent. There is a lack of cleft epidemiological data due to the absence of plastic surgeons, patients were referred to other provinces or enlisted to charity programs. This paper aims to evaluate the characteristics of our cleft patients at Haulussy General Hospital, Ambon, Maluku  from 2017 – 2019. This is a retrospective study of 69 patients treated at Haulussy General Hospital, Ambon, Maluku, charity program from 2017 – 2019. Age, gender, diagnosis, procedure, and nutritional status were collected. 52% of patients are male with a median age of 4 years (range: 3 months – 34 years). The most common diagnosis was complete cleft palate (n=19), and the rarest was microform cleft lip (n=1). Complete cleft lip is more common in males, while isolated cleft palate is more common in females. The median age for primary lip repair, lip revision, and primary palate repair/revision was 1 year, 4.5 years, and 8 years, consecutively. Among 32 patients assessed for nutritional status, 22% were malnourished (19% were underweight, and 3% were severely underweight). Lip repair was done in 28 patients, palate repair in 36 patients, and lip or palate revision in 16 patients. The main techniques used were Lazy S and von Langenbeck.This retrospective study at Haulussy General Hospital from 2017 to 2019 highlights predominant cleft cases and malnutrition among patients. The findings emphasize the importance of tailored interventions and comprehensive care for individuals with cleft lip and/or palate.