Management of Secondary Deformities in Cleft Patients

Secondary or residual deformities following primary cleft repair are encountered in almost every patient with a cleft lip and palate. Treatment of cleft always includes multiple staged procedures and the final assessment of the results of this surgery must wait till the child grows up fully. The primary surgical procedures have an influence on the growth pattern of these children resulting in various secondary deformities like lip distortion, deformity of the nose, cleft in the alveolus, fistulae, malocclusion, and dysfunction of the palate. Management of such deformities is difficult and usually requires a multidisciplinary approach with careful systematic evaluation, integrated treatment plan, and high-quality surgical technique. This chapter aims to discuss the various secondary cleft deformities and its management in brief.