Purpose: To discuss technical modifications specific to the cleft Le Fort I osteotomy that improve mobilization and demonstrate the stability of the maxilla at the Le Fort I level in a cohort of patients with cleft palate (with or without cleft lip) who underwent traditional maxillary advancement.
Methods: This was a retrospective evaluation of patients with cleft palate (+/- cleft lip) who underwent orthognathic surgery for management of skeletal malocclusions. All study subjects had a Le Fort I osteotomy +/- bilateral mandibular sagittal split osteotomies. The cleft Le Fort I osteotomy technique is modified to extensively release fibrous tissue and scar from the posterior maxilla, including around the tuberosity, along the posterior maxillary sinus wall, and circumferentially around the descending palatine canal. Maxillary position was assessed using angular and linear measurements pre-operatively (T0), immediately post-operatively (T1), and at 1-year post-operatively (T2). Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed; a P < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: Twenty-eight patients with cleft palate (with or without cleft lip) were included. The sample's mean age was 18.9 ± 1.4 years and included 11 females. The majority of subjects (64.3%) underwent bimaxillary surgery; eight subjects (28.6%) had segmental maxillary surgery and 14 subjects (50%) had simultaneous maxillary interpositional bone grafting. The mean maxillary sagittal advancement was 6.1 mm (range: 0-10 mm). At 1-year post-operatively, the absolute change in SNA was 0.7 ± 0.9 degrees; the absolute change in maxillary sagittal position was 0.8 ± 0.6 mm. There was no association between the magnitude of advancement and the magnitude of position change (P = 0.86). Stability was not influenced by segmental surgery, bone grafting, or bimaxillary surgery (P > 0.33).
Conclusion: Using a modified technique with extensive release of posterior scar and graduated intra-operative traction, maxillary advancement of up to 10 mm can be performed in patients with cleft palate (± cleft lip) with sagittal relapse of < 1 mm at 1-year post-operatively.