Orthodontic Department, University of Bristol School of Oral and Dental Sciences, Bristol, UK
Orthodontic Department, University of Bristol Dental Hospital, Bristol, UK.
BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Dec 30;14(12):e246582. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2021-246582.
The management of patients with orofacial cleft (OFC) often extends from diagnosis or birth well into adulthood and requires many different specialists within multidisciplinary teams (MDT). The aims of treatment are to restore form and function relating to hearing, speech, occlusion and facial aesthetics. People with OFCs that include the lip, alveolus and palate (cleft lip and palate (CLP)) require several different staged and coordinated surgical and non-surgical interventions, and the treatment pathway is associated with a heavy burden of care. Due to the extensive nature of the interaction with these patients, MDT members have opportunities to provide enhanced patient-centred care and support. This case report provides an overview of the current knowledge of the aetiology of OFC and the management of these patients. It provides a unique perspective from one of the coauthors who has a unilateral CLP (UCLP) and reports on his treatment experiences and long-term treatment outcomes. By having a better understanding of the impact of UCLP and treatment provided, MDT members can not only provide improved clinical treatment but also offer improved patient experiences for those with craniofacial anomalies, in particular, an increased awareness of the psychosocial challenges, they endure throughout their treatment pathway and beyond.
口腔颌面裂（OFC）患者的管理通常从诊断或出生开始，一直延续到成年，并需要多学科团队（MDT）中的许多不同专业人员。治疗的目的是恢复与听力、言语、咬合和面部美学相关的形态和功能。唇、牙槽突和腭（唇裂和腭裂（CLP））包括在内的 OFC 患者需要进行几次不同阶段和协调的手术和非手术干预，并且治疗途径与沉重的护理负担有关。由于与这些患者的广泛互动，MDT 成员有机会提供增强的以患者为中心的护理和支持。本病例报告概述了 OFC 的病因和这些患者的管理的现有知识。它提供了一位单侧 CLP（UCLP）合著者的独特视角，并报告了他的治疗经验和长期治疗结果。通过更好地了解 UCLP 的影响和提供的治疗，MDT 成员不仅可以提供改进的临床治疗，还可以为那些患有颅面畸形的患者提供更好的治疗体验，特别是提高对他们在整个治疗途径及以后所经历的心理社会挑战的认识。
