Dilemma of Postoperative Scarring in Cleft Lip and Palate: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Clefts in lip and palate is a highly incident abnormality affecting the facial and oral region. It affects nearly 1 in 700 live births, with various geographic origin, racial groups, Clefts can occur in either two forms; syndromic or isolated, occurring in different forms either lip only or palate only or both lip and palate. Infants suffer from esthetic disfigurement and functional morbidity in swallowing, speech, hearing and growth. Clefts are multifactorial in etiology either from genetic or environmental causes. However, despite the cooperation of the multidisciplinary team appointed for treatment and the variety of surgeries that exist in the literature, scars evolve. The literature presents different and various methods to manage this scar whether in surgical or non-surgical forms. The purpose of this narrative review is to review the methods postulated for managing these postsurgical scars to eliminate their detrimental effects and to be of aid to the surgeon and patient welfare himself.