Clinical Patterns, Surgical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors Among Patients Undergoing Cleft Palate Repair at Bugando Medical Centre Mwanza Tanzania
- Mwanza, Tanzania: Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS - Bugando] : 2019
- xiv; 42 Pages Includes Index
Abstract:
Background: Cleft palate poses major therapeutic challenges among otorhinolaryngology, plastic/reconstructive, oral and maxillofacial surgeons practicing in resource limited countries. There is a paucity of prospective studies regarding this subject in Tanzania and Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) in particular. This study describes the clinical patterns, surgical outcomes and prognostic factors among patients undergoing cleft palate repair at BMC
Methods: This was a cross sectional study among patients undergoing cleft palate repair at BMC between January 2019 and June 2019.
Results: A total of 44 patients (M; F ratio = 1.4: 1) were studied. The majority of patients, 35(79.5%) were aged between 6 and 12 months at the time of presentation. Associated congenital anomaly was reported in one (2.3%) patient. Only 10 (22.7%) patients had isolated cleft palate and the remaining 34(77.3%) patients had associated cleft lip. No patient had associated atypical orofacial cleft. Most of patients, 22 (50.0%) had bilateral cleft palate. The right and left cleft palates were involved in 12 (27.3%) and 10 (22.7%) respectively. Majority of patients, 35(79.5%) had complete cleft palates. All patients underwent cleft palate repair. The median age at surgery was 9 months. A total of 21 (47.7%) postoperative complications were recorded, of which bleeding (10; 47.6%) and palatal fistula (9; 42.8%) were the most common postoperative complications. There was no death recorded in this study. Out of 44 patients, 34 were treated successfully giving an overall success rate of 77.3%. The success rate was significantly influenced by nutrition status (p= 0.020) and width of the cleft (p=0.033).
Conclusion: This study showed that the majority of patients with cleft palate presented to BMC within 1 year of life. More than three quarter of patients were treated successfully. Malnutrition and cleft width > 10 mm were the major prognostic factors affecting the treatment success. Appropriate measures focusing at these factors are vital in order to deliver optimal care for these patients in this region
Wurzburg Road 35, BMC Premises, Post Code: 33102: P. O Box 1464, Mwanza – Tanzania: Phone: +255 28 298 3384: Fax: +255 28 298 3386: Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz : www.bugando.ac.tz