Scoping review of the morphology and anthropometry of Tessier craniofacial clefts numbers 3 and 4

BACKGROUND: In 2016, WHO reported a death rate of 303,000 newborns before 4 weeks of age due to congenital anomalies. Those that survive congenital anomalies may have long-term disabilities which may have significant impacts on the individual, their families, the healthcare system, and societies. Tessier craniofacial clefts numbers 3 and 4 are congenital anomalies that result in a partial or total defect of craniofacial tissues thereby seriously influencing the patient’s appearance and impair normal functioning. Therefore, understanding these defects is paramount to relieving the burden caused by this disability. The objective of this review was to examine the literature on the understanding of the knowledge of morphology and anthropometry of Tessier craniofacial clefts numbers 3 and 4 so that areas yet to be fully understood by research can be mapped out for future research. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A scoping review for literature on patients who have Tessier craniofacial clefts numbers 3 and 4 was conducted. Relevant studies from 1976 to the present were identified. The following databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature viz., PubMed, MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane library. The study selection was guided by the eligibility criteria. A data table was designed to extract information from the literature. The result of this study was reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). RESULT: Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies included were conducted in middle-income countries (54.5%) and some in high-income countries (45.5%); none was recorded from low-income countries. The total available sample size from the studies was 120 with a dominant male population of 67 (55.8%) and female 53 (44.2%). The majority (97%) of the studies reported on the knowledge of morphology while 12.1% of the included studies reported on anthropometry. Of the 33 included studies, 32 scored the highest quality (76–100%) from the quality assessment. DISCUSSION: The findings from this review show evidence of the knowledge of morphology and the knowledge of anthropometry of Tessier craniofacial clefts numbers 3 and 4. However, these knowledges have not translated to universally recognized ways of repairing and documenting these clefts due to the sparse amount of studies on Tessier craniofacial clefts numbers 3 and 4. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-019-0951-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.