The effect of 1-stage versus 2-stage palate repair on facial growth in patients with cleft lip and palate: a review

Abstract 

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the effect of 1-stage versus 2-stage palate repair with delayed hard palate closure on facial growth in patients with cleft lip and palate. A literature survey from the PubMed database from January 1966 to December 2007 used the medical subject headings terms ‘facial growth’, ‘cleft lip and palate’, ‘cephalometry’, and ‘1-stage palate repair’ in combination with ‘2-stage palate repair’ or ‘delayed hard palate closure’. The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal from 1964 to November 2007 was hand searched. Controlled studies written in English were selected. Two reviewers selected and extracted the data independently and assessed the quality of the studies. On the basis of this search only nine studies were included in this review. All studies were retrospective and non-randomized. Six studies were cross-sectional, and three were longitudinal. Heterogeneity and methodological deficiencies in the studies prevented conclusions regarding stage of palate repair and facial growth. Further well-designed controlled studies and long-term studies are needed, and researchers should focus on the variation in hard palate repair timing before 3 years of age and consider patient speech.

Keywords: cephalometry, cleft lip and palate, delayed hard palate closure, facial growth, stage of palate repair, two-stage palate repair