Nasolabial Growth in Individuals With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

There are limited numbers of studies comparing the preoperative and postoperative facial features of infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) using three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry. The authors attempted an anthropometric analysis of nasolabial asymmetry 1 year after primary lip repair using a handheld 3D imaging system. Five different nasolabial dimensions in 24 infants with UCLP were measured using 3D images captured during primary lip repair and again, 1 year after the repair. The nasal and upper-lip elements of the cleft side were significantly changed after primary lip repair, and nasolabial asymmetry was anthropometrically improved. This is a preliminary longitudinal observation of nasolabial growth in individuals with UCLP using 3D stereophotogrammetric technique. The authors would like to follow these children until adulthood, capturing 3D images at every intervention.