Cleft lip and palate surgery during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: a 36-month experience at the Bandung Cleft Lip and Palate Center

BACKGROUND: In Indonesia, the prevalence of cleft lip and palate increased from 0.08% to 0.12% between 2013 and 2018. Children with cleft deformities typically undergo staged surgery. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had negative impacts on the healthcare sector, including the suspension of elective procedures; this has raised concerns about the safety of performing surgery and the functional consequences of delaying treatment, the latter of which is associated with poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to report the characteristics of clefts treated by the Bandung Cleft Lip and Palate Center team during the pandemic period. METHODS: This brief comparative study based on a chart review was conducted at the Bandung Cleft Lip and Palate Center. We statistically evaluated data from all patients treated between September 2018 and August 2021. Frequency analysis was performed to analyze the average number of each procedure by age before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Data from 18-month periods before (n = 460) and during (n = 423) the pandemic were compared. Cheiloplasty procedures were examined (pre-pandemic, n = 230; pandemic, n = 248); before the pandemic, 86.1% were performed according to the treatment protocol (patient < 1 year old), and this proportion non-significantly dropped to 80.6% during the pandemic (<i>p</i> = 0.904). Palatoplasty procedures were also compared (pre-pandemic, n = 160; pandemic, n = 139); the treatment protocol (patient 0.5–2 years old) was followed for 65.5% of procedures before the pandemic and 75.5% during the pandemic (<i>p</i> = 0.509). Additionally, 70 (mean age, 7.94 years) revision and other procedures were performed before the pandemic and 36 (mean age, 8.52 years) during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: The cleft procedures performed at the Bandung Cleft Lip and Palate Center did not significantly change during the COVID-19 pandemic.