A Modified Double Z-Plasty for Bilateral Cleft Lip Repair

Abstract

Repairing bilateral cleft lip (BCL) with a modified Z-Plasty technique to overcome many complications encountered with other traditional techniques was attempted in a group of Egyptian subjects at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt between May 2018 to May 2021. The study included 20 patients suffering from primary BCL of both genders with ages ranging from one week to one year. 60% of the patients were female and 40% were males. The modified Z-Plasty technique was used in all patients. Wound healing in all cases was uneventful. No inflammation, infection or wound dehiscence were reported in this study. Postoperative gummy show improved significantly (p=0.001), and 70% of patients had zero postoperative maxillary ridge show as lip lengths improved significantly. The clinical results of the modified double Z-Plasty technique used for closure of BCL were very interesting and avoid scarifying vermillion tissue in addition to the increase of both philtrum length and lip volume.