Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Multidisciplinary Cleft Clinic.

Background: A retrospective review of cleft lip and palate surgeries at our hospital during 2001-2005 showed an increase in patients treated per year. The aim of the study was to review the activities of the clinic, hence to determine the variation in number of cleft lip and palate cases and surgeries from 2006 to 2009, and also to identify the commonest type of cleft cases during the same period.

Methods: Data for this retrospective study were obtained from the outpatient department records of the cleft clinic and operating theater. Information collected included demographic features of the patients, types of cleft lip/palate, number of attendance, and surgeries performed. The data were then analyzed using SPSS version 12.0.

Results: A total of 528 patients were operated on for cleft lip/and palate (ie, 132 surgeries per year). Most patients (54.2%, n=286) were boys. The age of the patients ranged from 1 to 25 months, with a mean age of 3.7 months. There was also an increase in cleft lip surgeries from 2006 to 2009, whereas cleft palate surgeries decreased toward the year 2009. In terms of types, cleft lip (73.1%, n=386) outnumbered cleft palate. Also, unilateral clefts (70.5%, n=372), in terms of position, were the majority.

Conclusions: The number of cleft surgeries was found to increase per year, and unilateral cleft lip was identified as the commonest type of cleft cases. Financial, logistic, and training support to cleft clinics in developing countries would play an essential role in the treatment of cleft patients.