Quantitative assessment of healthy and reconstructed cleft lip using ultrasonography

PURPOSE: This study is conducted to investigate the feasibility of echographic imaging of tissue thickness of healthy and reconstructed cleft lip. DESIGN: Prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in SDM Craniofacial Unit, Dharwad and was approved by Local Institutional Review Board. A total of 30 patients, age group ranging from 4 to 25 years, of which 15 postoperative unilateral cleft lip constituted the test group. The remaining 15 with no cleft deformities, no gross facial asymmetry, constituted the control group. The thickness of the mucosa, submucosa, muscle and full thickness of the upper lip were measured with the transversal images using ultrasonography at midpoint of philtrum, right and left side philtral ridges and vermillion border, at 1, 3, 6 months interval. RESULTS: There was an increase in muscle thickness at the vermillion border (mean = 6.9 mm) and philtral ridge (5.9 mm). Equal muscle thickness were found between the normal and test group at 6 months follow-up in a relaxed position, which was statistically significant (P = 0.0404). CONCLUSION: Quantitative assessment of thickness and echo levels of various lip tissues are done with proper echographic calibration. Diagnostic potentials of this method for noninvasive evaluation of cleft lip reconstructions were achieved by this study.