Abstract Background: Syndromic clefts account for approximately 30% of all cleft cases; however, their occurrence significantly impacts the timing of treatment, the range of interventions, and the variety of specialised healthcare providers involved. This can be overwhelming, especially in low-resource settings, when compared to non-syndromic cleft management. This study aimed to assess the difference in presentation and management at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). Methods: Retrospective review of records of cleft cases managed at the oral and maxillofacial surgery department of UMTH from January 2018 to December 2024, analyzing demographics, clinical features, treatment, and outcomes using descriptive statistics and significance tests ( P < 0.05) following ethical review board clearance. Results: A total of 74 cases were managed, comprising 52 non-syndromic clefts, 19 syndromic clefts, and 3 sequences. The data indicated that syndromic clefts were associated with a higher incidence of comorbidities (19, 86.4%) and complications (11, 50%) compared to non-syndromic clefts, with this difference reaching statistical significance ( P -value 0.001). Conclusion: Syndromic clefts presented early after birth to the oral and maxillofacial surgery department, with most undergoing surgeries at different times and ages required for cleft lip and palate surgical correction. Syndromic clefts experienced more complications and additional health challenges compared to non-syndromic clefts, necessitating a change in the treatment algorithm.
Abdullahi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.