Reducing the risk of recurrence in cleft patients: 25 years of clinical experience J. Schubert, B. Krost

Mund Kiefer GesichtsChir 2006: 10: 301–305 The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the potential of a “cleft prevention protocol”. From 1980 to 2005, 71 female patients, having non-syndromic cleft lip and palate (CLP) or cleft palate (CP) themselves or in their family, desired to have children. They underwent a “cleft prevention protocol” with high doses of Vitamin B Complex and Actovegin ^® twice a week for 88 times. The data about the outcome of the pregnancy were prospectively collected. The control group for comparison was extracted from the incidence data to each cleft type reported in the literature. The results of this study showed that in 80 cases, a healthy child was born. In two cases, a mild unilateral lip notch was observed. The observed risks with prophylaxis were 2.9% for CLP (presented as micro-symptoms) and 0% for CP comparing with 4.9% and 2.4% in the control groups, respectively. The relative risk as a reference value between the expected and observed risk was 0.6 (micro-symptoms) for CLP and 0 for CP. Based on the results of this study the authors concluded that “cleft prevention protocols” have shown benefit in reducing the incidence and severity of presentation but need to be further investigated by a larger sample.

GWEN SWENNEN