[Bilateral labio-maxillo-palatal clefts. Therapeutic evaluation].

The wide diversity of bilateral facial clefts makes it most difficult to assess surgical success, particularly in terms of long-term outcome. The aim of this work was to examine the rationale for the current protocol used for cleft surgery at the Grenoble University Hospital. In a first group of 28 children, a 3-step surgical protocol was applied. The first two steps were performed between 4 and 8 months with at least 3 months between each procedure. Skoog's unilateral cheilo-rhino-uranoplasty was used, associated with a periosteal tibial graft. The third step, performed between 10 and 12 months, was for staphylorraphy. Outcome was analyzed at 15 years and evidenced the deleterious effect of excessive and asymmetrical premaxillary scars, of the 2-step cheiloplasty and of columella lengthenings from the lip. The frequency of secondary revision of the superior labial vestibule and the medial labial tubercule (43%) was considered to be high; this procedure should be re-examined as should be osteotomy (32% revision). Palatine closure, acquired in 82% of the cases and premaxillary stability, achieved in 86%, would appear to favor use of the periosteal tibial graft. The osteogenic capacity of this graft tissue was less satisfactory after a second harvesting (from the same tibia three months later). These results have led us to modify our protocol, favoring early and total closure of the bony palate and continued use of the periosteal tibial graft. We now use the following operative protocol: premaxillary alignment using an active orthopedic plate at 2 months, lip adhesion associated with staphylorraphy and passive palatine contention plate at 3 months, definitive bilateral cheilo-uranoplasty associated with a single periosteal graft at 7 months. The preliminary results with this protocol in a group of 12 children have shown better quality scars, more harmonious maxillary arches, an excellent occlusion of the deciduous dentition, and preservation of the positive results obtained with the periosteal tibial graft.